Campus Auxiliary Services opened the new 1871 Café this semester in the space next to newly renovated Fraser Library in Fraser Hall. The 1871 Café provides on-the-go coffee, snacks and drinks in an easily accessible location for students and faculty to acquire.
Throughout the Fall 2020 semester, Fraser Hall was under construction. The goal was to provide a library and cafe that would offer the campus community an alternative study space and food option while Milne Library, and its cafe Books and Bytes, is under construction.
“We did open the 1871 Café to coincide with the start of the spring semester” CAS Executive Director Mat Felthousen said. “Traffic has been light so far, but traffic patterns, in general, have been different this year.”
The opening of the 1871 Café was followed by recent restrictions to help limit the spread of COVID-19. These restrictions require all dining locations on campus to be operated on a strict take-out only basis. Available seating areas enforced a policy of one person per table, in addition to regulations requiring masks to be worn unless an individual is actively eating or drinking. The 1871 Café provides grab-and-go food options including salads, sandwiches, entrees, snacks and parfaits. Additionally, the Café includes sushi options and coffee from Finger Lakes Roasters.
Although 1871 Café was established to provide Geneseo students and faculty an alternate venue in response to the Books N Bytes closure, students voiced their opinions to The Lamron about their impressions of the new café.
“I never got to use Milne, but I heard the actual library café used to be really nice,” political science major freshman Nicole Kemmett said. “So it was upsetting to see I wouldn’t have use of something similar.”
Psychology major sophomore Carra Lanigan said she is excited to visit, but hasn’t been able to go because of the harsh weather.
“When I first heard about it, I was intrigued and wanted to check it out,” Lanigan said. “But since it is so cold outside, I have not had the motivation to go yet.”