After closing down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school’s café, Java City, located in the main campus library, reopened on Nov. 17. 

“[We decided to reopen because], for one thing, the students missed it,” assistant manager Alicia Jones said. “After all the changes that we had the last two years, we decided it would be a good thing to give the kids and reopen it.” 

Java City features food and drink choices different from those offered in the cafeteria for an additional price. It offers hot, cold and blended drinks, as well as food choices like muffins and bagels, which are priced at $1.25 ands fruit cups priced at $3. The hot and cold drinks range from $2 to $3 while the blended drinks are all $4.25.

“I tried their white mocha coffee and their banana and strawberry smoothie — those drinks were pretty good,” senior Anna Dinh said. “I like going to the café during lunchtime. [It] has been closed for too long and I like that it is open now.”

Java City is open in the morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and in the afternoon from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dinh said she enjoys the cafe being in the library. 

“Sometimes I get hungry and [want to] go to a café, and [now] it is right there,” Dinh said. “I [like that I] do not have to get into the lunch line [since] I [usually] sit in the library at lunch.” 

After the café reopened in the library, librarian Jordan Johnson said it boosted morning traffic.

“[The café has been a] positive change in the library,” Johnson said. “I think it gives students and teachers more options, and I think it gives a fun vibe to the library — there is a difference in the way that students are viewing the library space [since] they are coming in [and making it] more like a coffee shop. Yes, we have books. Yes, they can utilize the library, but it kind of gives it another thing.”