App Monitors Local Bars

Oxford – Two tech-savvy students from the University of Mississippi, known locally as Ole Miss, Julian Bourgeois and Larson Carter have developed an innovative solution to a pressing need in the Oxford nightlife scene. The app named “Crowd Cover” allows locals, visitors, and fellow students to see the cover charge, line status, and how busy a bar might be at any given time. This invoative app answer to what some may call the modern mantra – “there’s an app for everything.”

Bourgeois’s Inspiring Journey

At just 18, Bourgeois already has a history in app development. He first created an application that tracks basketball shots for the Apple Watch during his high school years. It was after arriving at Ole Miss, however, that he noticed the challenge posed by high bar cover charges. The idea to tackle this problem was presented to him by a friend, an Uber driver, who suggested the potential benefits of tracking bar covers. Inspired by this, Bourgeois decided to use crowdsourcing technology to develop Crowd Cover.

The Impact of Crowd Cover

The app was launched on the App Store in September and was instantly embraced by the Oxford community. Within the initial month, the app was downloaded 10,000 times. Bourgeois spoke about the inception and success of the app, saying, “It was an instant hit right away.”

Carter Joins in

In need of assistance to elevate the app’s technology and reach, Bourgeois approached fellow Ole Miss student, Larson Carter. Just like Bourgeois, Carter studies computer science and is an entrepreneurship minor. From November on, he functioned as Crowd Cover’s chief technology officer, dedicating his work to develop new features that allow bar owners and managers to provide updated cover charges and other important information to be included in the app.

Crowd Cover Evolves

As Crowd Cover continues to dominate the local scene, the creators have turned their attention to the larger stage. Currently, the app tracks bar information in 11 cities, primarily in college towns in the South-Eastern Conference, including New Orleans, Auburn, and Starkville. The developers are also planning to make Crowd Cover available on Android phones, eying to dive into a bigger market. Carter spoke about their future plans saying, “We do have plans to include Android devices in a launch later on down the road.”

A Free and Useful Tool

Crowd Cover, a product of student ingenuity and determination, remains free on the App Store. The app has the potential to significantly impact the local bar scene, providing useful information in real-time and contributing to better bar experiences in Oxford and beyond.