The Athens music scene is nothing short of robust and diverse. With frequent performances at Court Street hotspots, house parties and campus dining spots, new and captivating artists are right next door.
Latitude 39 is one of the three food destinations in Baker University Center. Nestled in the corner on the first floor, Latitude is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.
In comparison to the traditional dining hall or food truck service, Latitude 39 offers Bobcats a restaurant-style experience with live music on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights.
Katie Dippold, a junior studying management and leadership, is a student intern and manager at Latitude. Amid her busy shifts managing employees, interacting with customers and running the restaurant, Dippold said the live music nights attract new faces.
“I think it brings a nice ambiance and something for our customers to look forward to and maybe drives some more people in for us,” Dippold said. “(It is) definitely a switch up from just listening to restaurant music, there is something here to watch while you eat.”
Dippold said artists are paid $150 for two hours of performance and are served a free meal and beverage.
As night falls each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, a familiar face can be seen entering Latitude, ready to take the stage and entertain. Sporting a blue jean jacket and bob haircut, Caitlin Kraus encapsulates the stage with her calming performances.
“She is really cute and she always plays very alternative rock, grungy music, kind of like love songs,” Olivia Lusardo, a sophomore studying hearing, speech and language sciences, said. “I feel like she always sets a very chill vibe for the restaurant and (she is) laid back.”
Kraus is not only a local music artist, but a 2010 OU alum, music therapist and counselor for Counseling and Psychological Services. Kraus said although she performs at other local venues, including Donkey Coffee and Casa Nueva, Latitude allows her to express musical freedom.
“At Latitude, I also find that it is beneficial to play covers of songs that maybe people would recognize,” Kraus said. “It has been cool to get to kind of experiment with learning new songs, things that maybe I would not normally play and expanding my repertoire.”
Her “alternative folk-rock” style is “melodically and lyrically” driven. Some of her originals include “Follow Me” and “On the way Down,” both of which can be found on Spotify.
Kraus shared a recent conversation she had with a mother and daughter at Latitude’s Moms Weekend event and said it opened her eyes to the music career she created.
“She was like, ‘Yeah, I follow your music … we saw you were playing tonight and wanted to come out,’” Kraus said. “I don’t necessarily always get people coming out specifically to see me … that was kind of a good feeling.”
In addition to Kraus’s performances, Steve Zarate is a recurring performer at Latitude. His personal website states he has written “nearly 300 original songs” and specializes in the acoustic guitar and harmonica. As a 1991 OU alum, Zarate “grew to cherish Athens,” making appearances at a variety of venues.
“The wait staff folks are wonderful, always cheerful and helpful,” Zarate wrote in an email.
Zarate started performing at Latitude in October 2021 and has played on 10 Thursdays and four Saturdays this semester. His latest album, “Patchwork of Light,” can be heard and purchased online.
“Sometimes when there's a bit of a crowd I can get (the staff) singing along on ‘Brown-Eyed Girl,’ ‘Sweet Caroline,’ ‘American Pie’ or ‘Take Me Home Country Roads,’ and then Latitude 39 turns into just about the happiest place in all of Athens,” Zarate wrote in an email.
Both Latitude customers and employees are mesmerized by Zarate's expressive music style. Lusardo said Zarate is an incredibly captivating performer and livens the restaurant’s atmosphere.
“(He) is a bit of a local legend, an Athens local legend you could call him, and he is just so quirky,” Lusardo said. “Often when he is playing, if he decides he does not like the key he will be like, ‘I am going to redo that’ and will start over … he really creates a very uplifting, happy (and) inclusive environment.”
The cashless restaurant is student-run and employee-run, allowing attendees to pay with Bobcat cash, flex points and credit cards. Locals, families and students are encouraged to enjoy a meal, live music and quality time together.
“When I started working here, it immediately felt so welcoming and student-oriented and I like the flexibility with my class schedule … especially since everyone is a student,” Dippold said.
Latitude accepts walk-ins or people can email Latitude39Reservations@ohio.edu to make a reservation.
