There is a new addition to campus. It’s not a new building, dorm, or parking lot, but it is sure to be a focal point for students, faculty, and staff. It is the new café in the Gateway North building. While upper campus has America’s Cup and Pierce Café, lower campus traditionally only had Red & Gray for dining establishments. But now, those on-the-go around lower campus will have an extra place to pick up their daily brew. The café itself is going to be known simply as “Gateway Café.”
Some of the things that a passerby might notice are the red, upright napkin holders, which are notably different from the ones of the other cafes on campus. One might also notice the range of options it already includes, which go from the usual café fare of coffee, chips, and fruit to more colorful things like the box selection of Dammann Freres teas (a French tea company) or yogurt parfait. The café also includes a range of espresso options, with coffee provided by Illy, which is an Italian coffee roasting company.
With only a few chairs available and a small counter, it appears that this new café is not meant to be a hang-out spot, but more for on-the-go patrons to quickly fill up and head off. This sentiment was confirmed by one student, Matthew Cunningham, who said, “I’ll use it only when I’m in a hurry.” According to Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Sara Klein, “I think students and faculty will make good use of the café before and after classes.”
The café itself first opened to the public on February 24, 2020, but that’s not all. A more formal grand opening is scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2020. All throughout the week, the café will have specials and free treats available.
Outside of fulfilling their coffee needs, students can also use this new café space as study space, as there is some sitting room and a counter available. Even though these counters do not have any outlets on top for charging, that probably will not stop some students from seeing its potential as study space. Cunningham also noted that “I’ll certainly make use of the café as a study space. Everywhere else on campus is so crowded that I’m happy when new areas appear because it means there’s another place to get homework finished.”
While those in lower campus will often go to Red & Gray, those who have seen the café during rush hours, such as in between classes, will know all too well just how crowded and long the lines can get. Likely, this new café will handle much of the overflow from Red & Gray. Additionally, the key location of it will prove especially helpful for those that live more towards the south side of Hoboken as it will be easier to walk to than America’s Cup or Pierce Café.
Going forward, this new café will surely work its way into the overall campus culture and be a fun and active place to get your daily brew and get some work done along the way.
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