Caffiends, the student-run coffee lounge at Old Vic, is slated to move to a less spacious room across the hall from its current location.
The relocation is due to the ongoing construction of Vic’s new $21-million Goldring Student Centre, which will expand the Wymilwood Building. The construction is slated for the next two and a half years.
During construction, the café’s space will be used for administrative purposes. Alumni offices in Wymilwood will occupy what is currently the Caffiends and the Victoria College bookstore.
The university has assured Caffiends co-managers that the original space will be restored once construction of the student centre is complete.
Co-manager Emily Gilbert said it is unclear when the move will occur. “Originally it was scheduled for Christmas but that hasn’t been confirmed, so it might be Reading Week,” she said.
The new location, VC111, is a tutorial room that is roughly half the size of the current space. Gilbert said the change will definitely affect the business. Last year Caffiends initiated a “no take-out cup” policy, which boosted sales considerably and required more room to accommodate customers. “With a smaller space, there will be a different vibe,” Gilbert said.
Caffiends started four years ago as a fair-trade coffee booth by two Victoria College students, moving into its current space three years ago. Opening with “equitable consumerism” in mind, it is known for its fair-trade coffee, supplied by local cooperative ChocoSol Traders.
The cafe makes little profit—just enough to cover the cost of supplies—and is staffed entirely by volunteers. Over 76 volunteers work weekly one-hour shifts. “Any extra money made over the year is put into our bank account for new supplies,” Gilbert said.
