The Underground Coffeehouse
Tucked away in the basement of Mather Hall is the Underground Coffeehouse, a student-run shop perfect for studying, hanging out with friends, and enjoying entertainment. A handful of student managers handle all aspects of the business, including hiring and supervising staff, overseeing inventory and budget, and running events. The menu features customizable offerings including iced coffees and teas and hot chocolate, specialty drinks, and limited-edition beverages such as Rosie’s Delight, a strawberry rose and pomegranate lemonade with frozen strawberries for Valentine’s Day. The space, with its art-filled walls, also is home to numerous events, including open-mic nights and listening parties. With the exact date of the coffeehouse’s founding not documented, the Reporter is seeking information from alumni about their involvement in the shop’s early days, thought to be in the 1980s. Did you frequent or work at the Underground, and would you be willing to share your memories? If so, please email [email protected].
From the student managers
 Vanya Karabadji ’24
B.S. in neuroscience
Worked at the Underground for three years
What was your title there? Social media manager and a barista
What did you do in your role? Manage the Underground Instagram, create flyers for new drinks, create flyers for Underground events, respond to DMs on social media.
What did you enjoy most about your work there? The sense of community! The fact that every shift is so enjoyable and being able to talk to different students and faculty is such an exciting perk of my position.
How would you describe the Underground to someone who has never been there? A very homey environment where students can hang out, study, and meet new people. There are a lot of events at the Underground, such as open mics, speakers, and even after-hours parties. It is the perfect place for people making their transition to Trinity to meet people.
What can people purchase there? We have an extensive drink menu, anything from iced coffees, iced teas, lemonades, to our very popular chais. All of our drinks are customizable so customers can change their drinks to their liking.
What sorts of events happen there? Like I mentioned before, we have events varying from open mics where students can perform their own music or poetry, to faculty speakers who discuss various topics such as global health and environmental science, to after-hours parties where students can engage in raffles and listen to music!
Why do you think students like the coffeehouse? I believe the Underground offers a unique environment on campus where students can not only grab a coffee but also feel a sense of community. One of the reasons why I love the Underground is that I feel it serves as more than just a coffee shop. It truly feels like a shared space where students can express themselves through various mediums. We have student art on the walls, have specialty drinks created by students, and are a student-run business. This space really feels like a place for students, and because there are so many opportunities for students to engage in the space, it truly is exciting to see where the space will go in the future. |
 Emmett McGranaghan ’24
B.S. in biology, minor in English (creative writing)
Worked at the Underground for about 2½ years
What was your title there? I was the events manager at the Underground.
What did you do in your role? What sorts of events happen there? I help student organizations and faculty host events in the Underground space like open tabs, informational events, trivia nights, guest speakers, open-mic performances, and even art exhibitions. I view my role as a bridge between the Underground and the Trinity community at large. Over the years, the Underground has fostered many close partnerships with various organization across campus like Temple of Hip Hop and La Voz Latina. These relationships have been a big part of what makes the Underground so unique and have helped us grow over the years.
What did you enjoy most about your work there? I really enjoy getting to connect with many different students and faculty in my events work. Getting to host fun events where I see students making new friends and enjoying themselves has been very rewarding for me. I know when I was a first-year, I would’ve appreciated a safe space like the Underground to meet new people. Most of all, I really like the family aspect of working at the Underground. It’s always been a reliable support system through tough times over the years.
How would you describe the Underground to someone who has never been there? Warm, energetic, and inviting. For me, it’s a place where I can walk in and leave all my stress and negative emotions at the door.
What can people purchase there? We have coffee and espresso drinks, chai, teas, lemonades, and hot chocolate. We offer many specialty drinks for the holidays and even collaborate with student organizations to design drinks for promoting events on campus. My favorite this past semester was the Lychee Milk Tea made in collaboration with the Asian American Student Association (AASA).
Why do you think students like the coffeehouse? I think we are a unique space on campus where students can feel at home. Whether students come for the artwork, music, coffee, or to socialize, there’s something that appeals to everyone. Most importantly, the UG has historically been as a safe space for marginalized people on campus. The UG is a place where people can feel like they belong and not feel judged for who they are. |
 Isaiah Reyna ’24
B.A. in political science, minor in Hispanic studies
Worked at the Underground for three years
What was your title there? Personnel manager
What did you do in your role? As the personnel manager, my main duties lie in creating the work schedule at the beginning of each semester, acting as the liaison between managers and baristas, and overseeing the hiring process. The team has given me the nickname of HR since that is basically what I do.
What did you enjoy most about your work there? What I love the most about working at the UG is that it connected me with many different people whom I don’t think I would’ve met on my own. There are so many different personalities, people with various hobbies and interests, and the space gave me the opportunity to get to know everyone and kindle a friendship with them.
What can people purchase there? We sell coffees, teas, lemonade, and various specialty drinks. We have our year-round staple specialty drinks such as the cinnamon rose chai. Sometimes during holidays, we as a team create specialty drinks such as Rosie’s Delight, strawberry rose and pomegranate lemonade with frozen slices of strawberries, for Valentine’s Day. Organizations also come to us to collaborate with drinks; La Voz Latina came to us this semester to promote their staple event, and we came up with a passion fruit lemonade with frozen pineapple chunks and a fun tropical straw. Occasionally, we do have pastries, but that’s a once-every-blue-moon occurrence.
Why do you think students like the coffeehouse? I was once told that the Underground made someone feel like it was a space outside of Trinity. Sometimes the stress of being a college student away from home can be overwhelming, and as you walk into the colorful hallway, into the art-filled walls of the coffeehouse, one might forget about all the worries and anxieties one might have. We also have some very comfortable couches!
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 Sandeep Thapa ’24
B.A. in sociology (premed track)
Worked at the Underground for about 2½ years
What was your title there? I was the inventory and financial manager.
What do you do in your role? I work alongside my co-manager, Janice [Martinez ’25], to make sure that all the items are in stock, and if they are not, ensuring that we have a steady supply of them. This way we can have a smooth and consistent business that people can reply on.
What do you enjoy most about your work there? I love the people I work with, my co-managers and all the baristas. I think that as a group of student workers, we try to foster a community in the UG for not only us but our general Trinity community to enjoy as well.
How would you describe the Underground to someone who has never been there? It is a cozy and welcoming environment that is tucked away to the unexpected eyes but always there when you need it.
What can people purchase there? People can mostly purchase expresso, latte, cold brew, chai, or other specialties drink like Milkyway, the London Fog, or Annas Go-Go Juice.
What sorts of events happen there? We have a wide variety of events that happen at the UG as we intend it to be a communal space. The Temple of Hip Hop had a listening party to select artists we should bring to the annual festival hosted by that group. Other orgs set up events to do meet-and-greets for their e-board, sometimes there are open mic events for people, and we even have Trinity student musicians who come and perform their work. All these are just to name a few of the events that we host; there are many more, and the UG is always welcoming more events and collaboration ideas.
Why do you think students like the coffeehouse? I think it’s the space and atmosphere that we curate. We want the UG to be a welcoming environment that is expressive and vibrant for anyone who wishes to come to the UG. Student baristas play their own music to set a mood that matches their vibe; some students create murals or add small art pieces to the wall. These are examples of some of the things the UG tries to do to make the space a collective environment. |
