Upon reading about the quirky feather’s closing, I felt my heart sink. The bakery shop was the backdrop for many other students’ and my late-night work sessions, and in general “Quirky” served as a hangout spot for teenagers to get out of the house and socialize. The staff was always hospitable, the decor provided a cozy atmosphere, and I often found myself in awe of where I was; I could not be more thankful to have been in their care.
But now that Quirky has closed, what’s next? Will we students lose our only late-night café in the city and deal with it another way? The answer I’m hoping for is no. Having a place for teenagers to hangout while providing a tranquil atmosphere for working is important because it offers a larger sense of independence and responsibility, something high school attempts to prepare us for. We always pair going out with friends with some sort of activity, such as ice skating or watching a movie, and while those activities are fun by themselves, at the end of the day many of us just want to sit down and talk; that’s what Quirky was for.
Of course, there are other places for us to converse, but none with the late time-frame and homey ambience Quirky provided. I have friends that do not finish extracurricular activities until 9 p.m., and by then nearly every café in town is closed.
It is my hope some cafés consider having later opening hours for students to work and socialize, but it’s a two-way street. Should we have another cafe that provides us with those late-night opportunities, it’s up to us students to show our support and do our best to keep them open. The Quirky Feather set a high bar for student hangout spots, and I hope to come across another café like it soon.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Rachael Tan at [email protected]