The storefront of Gata Mágica Cafe and Lounge, located at 1762 N. High St. Credit: Grace DeRolph | Lantern Reporter
With a new semester starting, college students scramble to find new study and coffee spots.
Gata Mágica — which translates to “magical cat” in Portuguese — has replaced the previous crowd-pleaser Cielo Cafe on High Street. While there was a soft opening to the public Aug. 23, Gata Mágica’s owner Albert Mathaus said the cafe plans on having a grand opening the weekend of Sept. 14.
Mathaus said he wants Gata Mágica to be a welcoming work environment for students. Having previously owned a restaurant in Orlando, Florida, he said he wanted to create a new space where students and the younger generation could gather together and maybe have a tasty beverage in the process.
“I feel really connected to this next generation, and I feel like a lot of potential can come from that,” Mathaus said. “I just enjoy having students come into this place. It’s the main motivation.”
Gunnar Steward, a Gata Mágica employee and fourth-year in psychology at Ohio State, said the cafe’s soothing atmosphere was one of the main reasons he decided to apply for a job there.
“It’s just a calm environment,” Steward said. “We’re really open with everything.”
With an extensive menu including coffees like pumpkin spice chai lattes and the “Chocolate-chino” — Steward’s personal favorite — plus delectable treats like strawberry rhubarb muffins, there are a wide variety of options for customers to enjoy. The coffee itself is organically sourced from Brazil and is 100 percent fair trade, Mathaus said.
Mathaus said all menu items at Gata Mágica cost between $2.50 and $6 before taxes and fees, as that price range is reasonable for most college students.
“If you do a higher price point in the beginning, it can scare people away,” Mathaus said. “They aren’t Starbucks prices.”
In addition to high-quality service and coffee, Mathaus said Gata Mágica is planning on extending its hours to ensure students can enjoy a nice drink with their friends day and night.
And in case visitors are confused by the cat mural adorning the shop’s walls, Mathaus said the painting depicts Gata Mágica’s mascot Nox, who is inspired by Mathaus’ favorite video game character from League of Legends, Yumi.
For more information on Gata Mágica — or pictures of Nox — check out the shop’s Instagram.
