The Underground Coffeehouse, n.d. Photo credit: Trinity College

Open daily during the academic year, the Underground Coffeehouse is a student-run, crafted coffee café in the basement of Mather Hall.

The Underground began as and remains a student-run venture, and has been located in the basement of Mather Hall since the mid-1980s. In 1986, its hours were 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Quiet and casual, the Underground has long been a space for the arts: poetry readings, live music, performances, talks, student murals, and artisanal coffee. The Underground Coffeehouse was the site of the first International Hip Hop Festival and still hosts pre-festival planning meetings and listening events, as well as the registration table on the day of the event.

Aligned with the College’s sustainability efforts, the Underground serves free-trade Omar coffee and composts the coffee grounds. It also offers discounts for bringing your own mug and encourages the use of in-house, washable mugs. In addition, staff members recycle everything they can as part of the College’s single-stream recycling program.

The Underground is managed by the Office of Student Activities, Involvement & Leadership (SAIL). Three student managers oversee all operations, including hiring personnel, event planning, budgeting, and managing inventory. At the end of the year, graduating managers select new managers for the next term.

Bantam Link: The Underground Coffeehouse

Coffee on Campus: Peter B’s Espresso and the Underground Coffeehouse

Trinity Tripod, 09/21/2010.

Trinity Tripod, 11/08/2005.

Trinity Tripod, 09/30/2003.

Trinity Tripod, 09/24/1991.