Are you a caffeine addict? Well if you are then you’re in luck. Heritage has their first ever coffee shop! The Sweet Shop Coffee Shop is a non-profit organization run by students. This shop is not yet open to students, but is open to staff and teachers. The idea of this spectacular coffee shop was inspired by Riverside’s very own cafe. Ms. Slothouber and Ms. Wold started the idea of the coffee shop. The Sweet Shop Coffee Shop was designed to look and feel like any other coffee shop you come across out in public.  The shop is open from the moment school starts to the second school ends, so make sure to put some time aside to visit our school’s new and improved coffee shop.

The “sweet” in Sweet Shop Coffee Shop stands for  “student work experience enabling transition.”

“The student’s who run this coffee shop learn necessary skills that will help them throughout their life. Good customer service skills and vocational /work skills are only some of the important skills that the student’s acquire,” said Slothouber. Ms. Slothouber is the transition teacher here at Heritage and also co-owner of the Sweet Shop Coffee Shop. The students learn how to greet and serve customers, make coffee using a professional coffee maker, and collect and distribute the right amount of change. 

“We’re usually busier in the mornings. The student’s make up to about 6 pots of coffee a day (6 pots of coffee is equivalent to 3 gallons). ” says Ms. Wold. Just like Slothouber, Wold helps assist the students in running the shop. The coffee shop is selling coffee for $1.50 a cup. The coffee shop also offers free refills and a coffee card for $15. I don’t know about you, but delicious coffee for only $1.50 AND free refills, now that’s a deal!

When asked if they had any future plans for the coffee shop, Ms.Wold and Ms. Slothouber replied excitedly. One of their future plans included a mobile service where customers fill out a Google form to order their coffee and have the students deliver the coffee to their door. The coffee shop also hopes to sell various items and goodies besides the delicious coffee they are currently selling. Although the coffee shop is currently only open to staff and teachers, they hope to open up to students as well. This process may take some time, so they’re not expecting to be open to students until third quarter. 

Slothouber and Wold are very proud of their students and the amazing coffee shop they have created. As a journalist, it was very exciting to get to meet the hardworking students and teachers who made this shop possible. The Sweet Shop Coffee Shop is not only Heritage’s first personal coffee shop, but a way for the students who run the coffee shop to interact with others. This shop also teaches the students vocational/work skills and good customer service skills. I look forward to seeing this shop flourish over time and can’t wait to visit the shop first hand  in third quarter.