Mr. Waller’s café in blue house is now facing a rising competitor within the school building: The Band Room Café.

The café in the blue house lunchroom has been long established. However, some students refuse to buy anything from the café, believing that since CPS school lunch is free, there should only be free café items offered in blue house.

However, there is good news for students who want free coffee and tea, and it can all be made available to them if they program for a band class!

The Band Room Café got started last year when band students along with the Whitney Young band director, Mr. Barbick, installed a shelf above the sink in the band room that now acts as home to a coffee maker and a how water maker. The café is supplied with materials such as coffee grounds, coffee filters, tea, sugar, honey, and cups by students, and anyone is able to use the café as long as they provide supplies or money. This is available to all band students, so by joining band you can access it!

Current band students have already been reaping the benefits of this. Jazz and wind ensemble student Sarah Craft ‘21 says that, “the coffees flavor [from blue house] is tainted by the obnoxious flamenco music.” Similarly, wind ensemble clarinetist Catherine Kingsley ‘19 says, “Why should I pay at the café in blue house for someone to make a drink when I (an equally able high school student) can make it myself for free?”

Now, thanks to this student run café, band students can make a coffee or tea for free, as compared to the astronomically high price of $1.50 from Mr. Waller’s Café in blue house.