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ISSUE 4
VOLUME 73
March 27, 2026
Mikey G’s finds home in Riverside
Erica Dennis | Banner
Mikey G’s first brick-and-mortar on Elizabeth Street displays their signature mural on the side.
BY ALANNA RIVERA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Excitement is brewing on Elizabeth Street in Riverside, Calif. as local coffee shop Mikey G’s prepared to open its first brick-and-mortar storefront. The business opened its doors to customers March 21 for a soft opening that gave visitors the opportunity to explore the new location and try some of its handcrafted beverages. Mikey G’s began as a softserve ice cream brand before transitioning into the coffee market. The company spent
nearly four years building the business before reaching this milestone. For owners Jake Driscoll, Steven Burgos and Geoff Gouveia, the new storefront marked a significant step as they continued building a business to support their families. Jake Driscoll, California Baptist University alumnus and one of the owners of Mikey G’s, reflected on the success of the soft opening weekend. “I can’t tell you how fun this weekend was, like soft opening. It was so much fun,” Driscoll said. “We did like 500
drinks in a day, and that was crazy. We had a line starting before we opened the doors and it didn’t stop until we closed them and that was just like, ‘Wow, we did it.’” Customers lined up near the shop’s signature yellow wall and a mural featuring the brand’s mascot, highlighting the business’s connection to the Riverside community. Jessica Conchas, junior marketing major, attended the soft opening. “The soft opening was great. They gave a deal with posting on your social media
to get a free drink,” Conchas said. “That was amazing advertising because it gets people to come to the pop-up, but also to come back, which was really cool to see through a marketing/business lens.” Daniel Greer, education graduate student, said he appreciated seeing the community support the growing business. “It’s awesome to see Mikey’s grow and come into their own in this location,” Greer said. “They have been gaining lots of attention in the last few years and so, it was cool to see
Erica Dennis | Banner
A Mikey G’s customer leaves with seasonal Blueberry Pancake Matcha. the community support them in this way.” Driscoll acknowledged the role the community played in Mikey G’s success. “That’s also a beautiful thing too, to kind of dig into something for years but to see over time that now other people are caring for this idea of Mikey G’s with us… But it’s also been I think the biggest blessing because now, I get to experience the joys and the excitement of this very moment that we’re living in.” While opening the storefront fulfilled a goal
for the owners, the process included several challenges. Building a brand and opening a physical location required patience and persistence. “I think the beauty about our space right now is it’s finished in the city’s eyes. We had to do our best to, you know, do everything they asked us to do in order to open and we did it,” Driscoll said. “We’re open now and now, we get to make the space feel more and more like Mikey G’s.”
SEE MIKEY G’S | PAGE 3
Battle of the Bands: Riffs and rhythms BY YEDID FUENTES A&E EDITOR
As the sun settled and the lights turned on, the quiet of the Mission Lawn at California Baptist University transformed into an outdoor arena on March 25 as student performers competed in the annual Battle of the Bands. Starting at 7 p.m., the night moved through a range of styles including classic rock, modern alternative and heavy metal with some pop mixed in. The event served as more than just a competition. It was a stage where students showcased their abilities together outside the classroom. Sandlot opened the show with a set that relied on high energy and raw talent. The group featured a powerhouse vocalist who spent the set shredding on the guitar. For Belsy Montufar, senior
Sophia McGilvray | Banner Sandlot performing their last song with special guest, Christian Edwards, at Battle of the Bands. commercial performance major and member of Sandlot, the stage was a long time coming. “What made me want to perform here was just, like, growing up, my passion for,
like, being a musician,I guess,” Montufar said. “I grew up on the worship team at church, and so I wanted to do that as a career if I could.” Montufar explained that the
school’s music program used these events to push students out of their comfort zones. “Well, it’s kind of required. Like, if you do this major, it’s required to be in the advance,”
she said. She also mentioned the audition process for the bands. “Yeah, we had to [audition], so they basically just placed us in a band. We don’t really know what band
we’re going to be in. Based on, like, how we performed in the previous years, they place this in.” Montufar credited the school for the professional connections she made. “CBU has given me so many opportunities that, like, I never would have expected for myself, especially just, like, getting to work with Steve O.” Synesthesia followed with a more modern approach, covering songs like Sombr and focusing on technical guitar riffs. Their performance included a guest appearance from Aaron that ended with a mic drop moment. Enya Alcantara, senior music major and member the band, said she was drawn to the welcoming nature of the show.
SEE BANDS | PAGE 13
Student-led activities
Internship resources 2F302F
NCAA D1 Tournament
California Baptist University encourages students to attend or host events around campus.
Guidance to help students apply for internships and job opportunities offered on campus.
For the first time in CBU’s history, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams made it to March Madness.
Faith & Lifestyle, pg 6
Business & Tech pg 11
Sports & Wellness, pg 14