Incoming freshmen were introduced to multiple local coffee destinations at a Wildcat Week event Thursday night called Abilene Grounds.

Organized by Austin Browning, senior accounting and finance major from Abilene, the event featured brewed beverages from Monks, Beltway and Maslow Coffee Company, which will be located in the former location of Bitsy’s Flower Shop.

“We got in contact with the three local shops,” said Browning. “We knew we really wanted to have Monks and Beltway here since they’re two of the most popular sites for students. Then with Maslow opening across the street, we figured that would also be a really big coffee hub for students as well.”

The event took place in the Halbert-Walling Research Center. Browning said that organizers expected at least 100 students to show up — but between 200 to 300 students arrived throughout the night.

Students sampled complimentary coffee from each shop, while student-musicians Elyse Goodnight, Wade Byington and Manny Lundy performed.

“Austin reached out to me and asked if I would help participate in the Abilene Grounds coffee experience,” said Goodnight, sophomore elementary education major. “I said I would love to be a part of the event. I had a blast picking the set of songs for the night.”

Garrick Palmer, owner of Maslow’s Coffee Company, said the shop’s opening was an idea they have been working on for 21 years.

“We were invited to participate in the Abilene Grounds event, so we jumped at the opportunity,” said Palmer. “We are here to support the university with our hearts, minds and souls. We are just honored to be a part of Wildcat Week.”

The grand opening of Maslow’s Coffee Company will be around the end of September.