Good java, good times
By Josh Hicks
Staff Writer

In 1993, a group of students from the Gerstacker Institute decided to establish a student-run, non-profit business. They called it The Coffee House, and since that time, it has provided Albion with a unique social atmosphere in which everyone can feel welcome.

Located between Baldwin and Twin Towers, the quaint-looking coffeehouse actually is a house. It welcomes people with a variety of appealing elements, from quality coffee and relaxed conversation, to live music performances and poetry readings.

According to Coffee House employees, just about any kind of crowd can be found enjoying the scene. “There’s a certain core group, and then a much larger group that randomly comes in,” said Adrian Trager, Clarkston sophomore, and one of five managers.

Interestingly enough, those who frequent the establishment are not always students. According to manager Sarah Coletta, Rochester sophomore, the math professors come in at around 10 am, and provide most of the morning business.

The busier times at the house are normally during Wednesday nights and during weekend evenings. While you can often expect fairly large crowds and live entertainment on weekends, Wednesdays are less crowded, providing more of a conversational and studious atmosphere.

Weekend performers are paid with the house’s limited Student Senate funding, so there is never a charge for admission. Acts range anywhere from solo artists like Wally Pleasant and Lisa Hunter, to ska bands, and sometimes even performers from the college. Students Chris Martinson and Anne Holcomb, among others, have been known to showcase their talents at The Coffee House on more than one occasion.

“Really, those people bring in just as many people as the paid acts,”said manager Neil Meyer, Clarkston sophomore.

The Coffee House also sponsors several open mic nights, offering an opportunity for people to test their skill and courage in the limelight. When asked about participation and turnout rates during these events, Coletta said, “We’ve had a few that are dead, but sometimes there will be a whole fraternity that will show up or something.”

The planning and work that goes on to keep The Coffee House open is done completely on a volunteer basis. Each year, the group of volunteer workers chooses five managers, who live in the house, and manage the bulk of responsibilities. The job can be demanding, especially since the managers are offered no outside assistance. “A lot of people aren’t exactly eager about the idea of running a business for free on top of being a full-time student,” Meyer said.

The managers stick to a theory that the busier they are, the easier they will rise to an occasion. Meyer said, “Last year, when people said I should be a manager, I thought, ‘I don’t want to do that.’ Once you’re in the situation though, it’s a lot easier than it looks from the outside.”

The main reason these people volunteer their services is simply to keep the house going, in hopes that others can enjoy the tradition of good times that has been going on for over seven years. “We really liked hanging out here last year, so we want to keep things going,” Trager said. “Plus, we get to live in a house as sophomores, which is a perk.”

The Coffee House is open 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Monday through Friday, 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. on Wednesdays, and 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. for the Friday and Saturday night crowds.