Exploring Pullman one cup at a time—behind the scenes at local cafés and the stories that make them unique.

Apple Cup Spirit Spills Into Pullman’s Coffee Shops

The famous Apple Cup came back to Pullman for the first time in two years. What did that mean for Pullman’s cafe scene?

Since 1900, the Boeing Apple Cup has drawn Washington State Cougars and University of Washington Huskies fans across the state, converging in either Pullman or Seattle to witness this yearly tradition. In 2025, the matchup returned to Pullman, bringing the excitement home to Cougar Country. When that happens, it is one of the busiest times of the year for the small town. This year was especially eventful as it was the first time the football game took place in Pullman’s Martin Stadium since 2023. 

With people traveling to see the game, and the amount of fans that flooded to Pullman, lines were long, the sun was burning and people were looking for a way to escape the heat and find some food before heading to the stadium. The best solution? Stopping by the nearby cafes. 

Nearby cafes, Einstein Bagel Bros, Southside Cafe, Northside Cafe and Crybaby Cafe typically remain open on weekends and were serving food during the Apple Cup Weekend. 

However some of the Washington State University cafes located on campus, such as Lightly Espresso, Hillside Espresso, Hillside Cafe and Starbucks located at The Spark: Academic Innovation Hub on the south side of campus, remained closed over the weekend. 

“I’m so glad we weren’t open for the Apple Cup,” full-time Starbucks employee Ciarra Nolan said in an interview. “I wasn’t even in town then,” she said. Other staff members including part-time barista Marissa Castilleja and full-time Starbucks employee Julie-Jo Baljo agreed with her sentiment. 

Staff member Julie-Jo Baljo is bringing clean dishes from the back to put into their proper places for closing. Closing down before the weekend means deep cleaning most of the equipment in the store. Arlo Popa / Grounds for Gathering

Other cafes, such as Northside cafe and Southside Cafe, remain open on the weekends. Southside Cafe features a Thomas Hammer Coffee inside. At around 12:00 p.m, it’s a popular weekend spot for students grabbing lunch and coffee. However, on the day of the Apple Cup, it was nearly empty. 

According to associate manager Tom Price, Southside Cafe made roughly $593 dollars more during Apple Cup day compared to the Saturday before. He noted that it was not a huge difference. Arlo Popa / Grounds for Gathering

“(It was) slow during the game itself, and as soon as the score was stacked against WSU people began swarming to the market,” associate manager Tom Price said. 

Price noted that the differences in the amount of money made on Apple Cup weekend compared to the previous weekend wasn’t significant. Other than additional staffing in the morning or afternoon, Southside Market and the Thomas Hammer inside didn’t make any changes in how they handled the weekend.

While Southside Cafe noticed a small uptick in business, Einstein Bagel Bros, a franchise cafe located on the North of campus, noticed a big change. At 12:15 p.m., four hours before the game started, the line to order was out the door. The cafe was buzzing with excited chatter and was filled with Cougar fans wearing their crimson. 

Einstein Bagel Bros. was closest to the stadium compared to other cafe locations. Einstein Bagel Bros. is also open until 10:00 p.m. making it a popular spot after football games for hungry families and students alike. Molly Zimmerman / Grounds for Gathering

Located just off campus, Crybaby Café also noticed an influx of business on Apple Cup game day. Crybaby Cafè is located in the midst of Greek Row, making it a popular spot among WSU’s sorority and fraternity members.

Various WSU fraternity and sorority members stopped by on their way into Crybaby Cafe before the game. Bella Godinez / Grounds for Gathering

Mira McCurdy, a barista working on Apple Cup weekend, said she noticed a big influx of business before the football game. “It’s… the first time it’s been in town in two years, and it was definitely an experience this year,” she said. “It gravitates a lot of alumni to come in,” 

“We had a whole day before getting everything, like double stocked and as well as…making sure we weren’t going to run out (of food and materials), and everyone had their stations that they were assigned to… so that way, no one would get mixed around,” McCurdy added.

WSU students Becca Stever (left) and Cassie Handziak enjoyed drinks at Crybaby Cafe before headed out to the Apple Cup, opting for a refreshing beverage to counteract the consistent 80-degree weather. Bella Godinez / Grounds for Gathering

Additionally, Crybaby Cafè featured a special menu item in honor of the Apple Cup game– an apple spice donut that said “Apple Cup”. 

When the Apple Cup takes place in Pullman, it’s a big deal for local businesses. `Many shops or restaurants will see an increase in revenue as well as foot traffic. Additionally having these spaces accessible to the public helps out all of the fans as well. 

More Stories