On 2 August, Madelief Residence celebrated a milestone with the opening of its brand-new coffee bar. This event was the first of its kind, setting Madelief apart from other female residences, as no other female residence has offered a facility quite like this one.
Many of the residents at Madelief, as well as external supporters, came together to celebrate the opening of this significant achievement. The Coffee Bar had been in the works for over a year and owes its success to donations and fundraising efforts by the house.
In an interview with PDBY, Samantha O’Rourke, a House Committee member at Madelief, shared her insights on the achievement:
What inspired the idea of opening a Coffee Bar and what does this launch mean for the house?
“The men’s residences, having clubhouses, inspired the idea of opening a coffee bar, because, although we are not allowed to sell alcohol, we still wanted to create a space where Madeliefies can enjoy quality time together and raise money for Madelief. We can use this money as fundraising to help Madeliefies participate in events even if they don’t necessarily have the financial capacity to do so.
The launch was a wonderful evening which brought Madeliefies together to celebrate the great addition to a place we can all call home.”
Will it be open for all students or just those residing in Madelief?
“At certain events hosted by Madelief, it will be open to all students, but most of the time it will be used by Madeliefies.”
What will be offered at the Coffee Bar and why do you think this will appeal to Madelief residents?
“Coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be sold on special occasions. There will also be snacks available during certain events.
The food and drinks are not the things Madelief will be attracted to. Rather, the Madeliefies will love the space and opportunity to spend time with one another.”
While the launch of this coffee bar marks a first for female residences, the introduction of Madelief’s coffee bar is an exciting development. The new addition is set to create a welcoming space for residents to relax and connect, offering a benefit that has traditionally only been enjoyed by male residences.
