Historic Hall Reopens for Caffeine-Fueled Students

Today@Sam reports the iconic Austin Hall, which in decades past served as a student social center, will soon be open to students with Austin Mugs Coffee Shoppe:

Bearkats looking for a caffeine fix will soon have another option to quench their coffee cravings on campus. Austin Mugs, a coffee shop providing fair-trade espresso-flavored drinks and a selection of baked goods is set to open on the second floor of Austin Hall.

"Caffeine is a necessary component of a college student's daily life, whether it is used to make it through an 8 a.m. class or pull an all-nighter" said Fabian Leivitch, of ARAMARK. "There have discussions to find new uses for historically underutilized buildings and we felt Austin Hall was one of the best choices on campus."

While Leivitch says Austin Mugs won’t have a sit-down atmosphere, as there will only be six seats inside, she hopes to set up some patio chairs and picnic tables outside in and around the Pit.

Austin College, now known as Austin Hall, has been here since 1879, making it the oldest building on campus. The grand opening of Austin Mugs is scheduled for April 31, and will be accessible to students 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.