The Oberlin Review
<< Front page News December 3, 2004

A caffeine boost for Obies

After 1 a.m. on the Oberlin College campus, students often find themselves overworked and under-caffeinated or in search of a place to finish conversations once the DeCafé closes. The opening of a new Coffee Co-op might be the answer some Obies have been looking for.

The idea for a late-night study and social spot came to College junior Rowan Johnston for this very reason: to provide an alternative venue for students to gather once the DeCafé closes for the night, along with Java Zone and the A-level of Mudd Library. In collaboration with Sustainable Communities Associates, an organization led by three Oberlin alumni to renovate the corner of East College and South Pleasant streets, currently home to an old Buick dealership and a closed Rax restaurant, Johnston saw no reason why one of the abandoned storefronts could not be converted, at least temporarily, into a Coffee Co-op, which opened last Wednesday to a small but lively crowd.

“Lots of friends helped out,” said Johnston about the process of restoring the space in preparation for its opening. “We had painting parties, some people worked on the acoustics, others designed posters and a group worked on scheduling.”

Any member of the Oberlin community can join the co-op for five dollars a month to drink as much coffee as he or she pleases. Hours of operation have not yet been finalized, but the co-op is currently open seven days a week in shifts starting at 3 p.m. and continues until however late people feel like staying. Like other co-ops, this one is student-driven. However, Johnston pointed out that “no one is required to help out running shifts, making coffee and cleaning up, but most people who join the Coffee Co-op are excited about getting involved.”

Johnston added that she would also like to see the co-op serve a broader purpose in the Oberlin community. This would involve fostering and embracing student talent and creativity by making the space available for poetry readings, dance performances and artwork displays.

The Coffee Co-op is expected to remain next to the former Buick dealership only as long as it takes SCA to finalize its plans to begin its 12 million dollar renovation and construction of the site, which could be as early as the end of second semester. If interest and enthusiasm continue, however, Johnston said she could easily see the Coffee Co-op moving to a different location.
 
 

   

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