The last bell of the school day rings. West students pour out of the building, but where are they going? Many of these students will go to Downtown Plymouth or “DTP” as the cool kids say.  Students will hang out at Starbucks, Panera, and Dairy King.

Sometimes coffee seems like the only way to survive the day. Luckily, Starbucks makes coffee as well as baked goods and a variety of additional beverages. Elise Detgen, a 7th grader at West Middle School says, “I like to get like a decaf latte or a frappuccino.” Some of our favorite drinks are the White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino, and the Triple Mocha Frappuccino. For those interested in trying it out, Starbucks has numerous locations, but the hotspot is the store closest to West. It is located on 803 West Ann Arbor Trail in DTP and a walkable distance for West students. This Starbucks is large enough for kids to hang out inside and watches people through its large glass windows.

Middle schoolers often crave the sweet pastries that can be found at Panera Bread. Panera is a breakfast/lunch cafe. Lessa Gharaibeh, a 7th grader said, “ They have an assortment of soups and sandwiches, along with treats from the bakery and they have a lot of types of bagels.” We recommend the M&M cookie and a blueberry muffin. Again, another walkable hotspot. Panera is located at 400 South Main St. in DTP. The DTP Plymouth is huge and also features outdoor seating, making popular for middle school students.

Last, but certainly not least, West students LOVE to get a frozen treat from Dairy King. “… Dairy King, lots of ice cream! They have soft serves, hard packs, all types of stuff. Slushies too.” Ally Hawkins a 7th-grade student, exclaims. Ally enjoys going to Dairy King with friends. Unlike Dairy Queen, Dairy King is family owned and is the only one of its kind. Dairy King is small, but there is a ton of outdoor space to socialize. There is an indoor part, but most people choose to stand in line outside on a beautiful day. Dairy King is located at 232 South Main St in DTP.