BSU looks to sell coffee

By James Patrick Schmidt

Published Oct. 3, 2006

The Columbia City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance on Monday night that would allow the Baptist Student Union to open a coffee shop in part of its building.

According to the ordinance, BSU would be allowed to use the space for banking and ATM services, a café, sandwich shop, coffee shop, retail sales of religious materials, books and other merchandise and parking lots. There are two reasons BSU wants to add a coffee shop, said BSU spokesman Jerry Carmichael.

"One is obviously to raise revenue for our ministry," he said. "Two: The idea of providing a good place to get a cup of coffee and sit down and have a good conversation would be a good thing. The idea of making an atmosphere like that available to students would be positive."

The type of coffee served in BSU would also set it apart.

"I'm looking into providing fair-trade coffee," Carmichael said, "which is a certain part of the coffee market where the coffee growers and farmers are paid more of a fair wage."

The plans include adding café tables and changing the lighting in order to make the atmosphere more like that of a coffeehouse. Carmichael said he hopes that students will use the area to study and congregate, regardless of their religious beliefs.

"I think a cup of coffee could enhance a strengthening friendship or a relationship, and that's a plus, so it kind of goes in sync with what we're trying to do here," Carmichael said.

If the ordinance passes, the BSU would start simple.

"We don't plan to prepare any food, but we might bring in pre-packaged food to sell," Carmichael said. "We're just starting off with coffee."