You’ve pulled a week of all-nighters. Your eyes are bloodshot, and you reek of underachievement. The residue of five essays, 26 journals, two dissections and a lab report have formed a smog around you that pollutes your generally bright and shiny aura. You crave one of the few chemical addictions that your puritanical government will  still permit you, coffee—sweet, sweet coffee.  Only a college student could truly understand the life-infusing power of coffee, and one student chose to turn this knowledge into a business.

Junior Jordan Hedberg had the idea for a coffee stand almost a year and half ago. It was intended to extend the services of The Grounds, a biweekly gathering in The Underground that tried to duplicate the casual social scene of a coffeehouse. Hedberg took the first steps toward securing administrative approval and a location during the 2007 spring semester. President Ditzler lent his support early in the project (and has been a loyal customer since the stand opened). The final details were settled early this semester. The business office approved the plan, and Aramark food service agreed under certain conditions: the stand was limited to the hours of 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and could not sell food.

Taste of the Rockies opened on the first floor of Wallace Hall in mid-November. The current, all-volunteer staff includes Hedberg, freshman Ben Peterson, senior Miles Miller and junior Matt Danaher. They share shifts for the five day work week.  Hedberg refers to his product as “a quality drink on a student’s budget.” The stand offers regular coffee, espressos, cappuccinos and multiple flavors of tea, as well as stand favorites: hazelnut coffee and hot cocoa.

The staff claims that the quality of their drinks is partially due to their use of purified water instead of straight tap water in mixing their drinks. A student can get a 12 oz. cup of their favorite drink at a manageable price. Coffee is $1.75; hot cocoa is $1; Cappucinos, lattes and espressos are $2 and teas are 75 cents, or you can save 25 cents and bring your own mug. Next semester, there may be an opportunity for students to use frequent buyer cards to get their morning fix. Peterson says the stand has developed a regular base of customers in the faculty and staff. At this time, the stand has paid for itself and continues to earn enough each week to pay for supplies.

Junior Josh Jacobs is a regular customer at Taste of the Rockies. He spoke favorably of both the price and taste of the product (his favorite being a cappuccino with Irish cream and a shot of espresso) and adds, “It helps to get a good cup of joe in the morning.”

The staff hopes to maintain regular hours during finals week. So, let Taste of the Rockies serve your caffeine-coma needs or unwind with one of their less potent alternatives (the hot cocoa is recommended on good advice).

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