If you get a chance to meet Eli Jones, the Michigan State University student and manager of Strange Matter Coffee at the MSU Union, know that you are talking to an impassioned coffee professional. He doesn’t just sling joe as a side hustle. For him, this is a career. 

As a student, Eli is weaving his way through an English major with a focus on creative writing. The goal: to publish a dystopian novel with gothic overtones — his favorite genre. The 29-year-old has wiled away many an hour honing his writing craft in the very coffee shops where he has spent over a decade perfecting his beverage craft.

Eli was born in Montana, but while still young, his parents moved the family to Zeeland, Michigan. So, Eli grew up a Michigander. A desire to learn and explore led Eli to move, and he eventually settled in Lansing. Although Eli’s first sip of the industry was as a Starbucks barista, it was in 2019 that he discovered a new Lansing-based cafe, Strange Matter Coffee. Eli had found his dream employer. 

“I fell in love with Strange Matter,” he said. “I told the owner, ‘I’m here for life until I sign my book deal.’” 

The local business was started 10 years ago by Michigan-native Cara Nader and her wife, Elaine Barr. Since then, the coffee bar and bakery enterprise has grown to three locations with 50 employees. Eli said that this success is due in part to Strange Matter’s commitment to a premium experience. Beans are roasted locally (since 2020), vegan donuts are baked from scratch and syrups are mixed in-house.

According to Eli, the idea to open a location on campus started last year when someone told him that MSU was looking to partner with a local coffee vendor. Eli’s ears perked up faster than a first-year student after two shots of espresso. He rushed the news to Nader, and the rest is now Strange Matter and MSU history.

“We are thrilled to bring Strange Matter Coffee to the MSU Union,” said Rebecca Selesky, assistant vice president of Culinary Services at MSU. “Their coffee is not only delicious but also sustainably sourced, which aligns with our values of promoting environmental stewardship.”

As you enter the MSU Union location, the invigorating aroma of freshly ground beans and the gentle buzz of steaming milk — including oat or almond — lets guests know that drink orders are in progress. Behind the bar, baristas hustle to fulfill student requests for iced lattes and chai lattes —the location’s most popular drinks, despite the chill outside. 

 “But our appeal is not just the quality of our coffee,” Eli said. Being queer- and women-owned, the ethos at Strange Matter is also about inclusivity. “I take pride knowing that we provide a safe space for everyone.” 

As Strange Matter’s flyer declares, “Our mission is to bring the best coffees and pastries to our community while enriching our neighborhood and creating a safe and welcoming space for contemplation, homework, art, Tinder dates, vintage markets, cross-stitch workshops, and whatever else y’all can dream up.”