Student-run coffee shop, Brewed Awakening, reopens next week after the controversial decision by the School of Business to shut the beloved cafe down. Following the temporary closure and massive pushback, Brewed Awakening is back in operation.
Brewed Awakening is located in the Hospitality Center right when you walk in the front door. The hours of operation this coming semester are Monday through Wednesday 8:30am-2:30pm, Thursdays 8:30am-1:30pm, and closed on Fridays.
“Brewed for me started as the place where I found my footing at school,” said Barcome. “… I randomly applied for a barista position and met [the Brewed manager]. For me, Brewed Awakening and Southern New Hampshire University coexist alongside each other in my life; I wouldn’t be able to have one without the other. Brewed Awakening was the first place I felt I fit in on campus, the first place I felt truly comfortable.”
Having started off as a customer, Rupple loved it so much that she decided to apply to be an employee. With her experience in her high school’s culinary program and working at Starbucks, she didn’t know what to expect from working at Brewed, but it ended up being so much more than she imagined.
“My first year at SNHU, I kept to myself and hung out at Brewed Awakening as a patron,” Rupple said. “I loved the people that worked there and always looked forward to getting myself a little treat to have while I did some homework. Finally, I decided to apply in the Fall of 2022 as a way to do something on campus that made sense to me. Plus, my experience with my high school’s culinary program and almost two years working at Starbucks as a Shift Supervisor served me well. I did not know what to expect to come out of working at Brewed, but it was so much more than I could have ever imagined. I felt like I was building the college friendships I always wanted and finally felt at home somewhere on campus. Brewed Awakening became the starting point for me and so many relationships that I have built here at SNHU,” Rupple said.
On Thursdays, students can come in and enjoy crepes made to order by the staff. Brewed Awakening offers a variety of options to choose from to decorate your crepe, as well as a “Crepe of the Week” to choose from.
The cafe where Brewed Awakening is located has been around for a long time. Before it was Brewed Awakening, it was under different names such as Cup of Love and Caffe Dolce. It has always been student-run and operated.
For Barcome and Rupple, the best part about Brewed Awakening is the people.
“The friends I’ve made, the leadership we’ve been able to learn from, and the awesome customers we get to see. … It is so cool that we are student-run because we are all in the same boat,” Barcome said. “To be able to make our student body happy with what we do is awesome and it makes us happy too.”
The theme of the first week open, September 18th, is Barbie. More details can be found on their Instagram, @brewedawakeningsnhu.
