“A Fair Cup of Joe,” the Fair Trade coffeehouse, will open for the first time this semester and for its second year Saturday.

The coffeehouse serves only fair trade coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Homemade baked goods also will be available, said Molly Henderson, member of the Social Activities Committee and Student Ministry Team. A stage and open mic will be available for musicians, poets and speakers as well.

The coffeehouse is open from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Saturday night with the exception of three day weekends and holiday breaks and is held in the Newman Catholic Center.

The coffeehouse did not have initial success its first year. It was open every other week, twice a month in the spring semester, Henderson said. But by the end of last year, it had gained popularity.

“It has been pretty successful,” Henderson said. “Last year, we were getting around 60 people. It was pretty packed in there.”

The coffeehouse was started by the Student Ministry Team. The team created the coffeehouse as something different to do on the weekend, as a bar alternative.

“It’s a bar alternative, but it also raises awareness about fair trade and fair trade issues,” said Stephanie Michaelis, co-chair of the Fair Trade Coalition.

The group likes to stress “A Fair Cup of Joe” is open to everyone, Michaelis said.

“Everyone’s welcome; it’s not just a Catholic thing,” she said. “I’m totally not Catholic and I love it there.”

Michaelis said the coffeehouse offers a variety of entertainment.

“You can look forward to Roy Lanham’s standup,” Michaelis said. “He warms up the crowd. He tells jokes and he’s a riot.”

Although the coffeehouse is supposed to be fun, its organizers also are trying to spread a message.

“The main purpose is the promotion of Fair Trade and the idea of supporting others around the world … we’re helping farmers that benefit from us buying it,”Henderson said.

Lanham said new people come to campus every year and it is important to raise the issue and awareness. As much as the people attend the coffeehouse for the coffee, entertainment and atmosphere, they will still be receiving information.

“We have fun and teach people at the same time,” he said. “Students don’t need another coffee shop… it’s to raise awareness.”

Henderson said the coffeehouse will be open this weekend, the next couple of weekends after Thanksgiving break and again in the Spring. Usually, the coffeehouse will close right before Spring break, close during holidays and breaks and with warm weather. The coffeehouse is typically open every Saturday night starting around October or November and is open through January, February and most of March, Henderson said.

Lanham said a “dry run” of the coffeehouse was held during Family Weekend this year, but the event was not publicized nor considered the first official event of the semester. About 40 people attended.

Saturday will be considered the first official event of the year.

There is no cost to the coffeehouse, but donations are requested for what you drink, Henderson said. Money goes toward buying the coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

The amount of donations received is different at each coffeehouse, Henderson said. “It varies from weekend; sometimes we are able to cover the costs we used, other nights we are not.”

Most of the the time the Newman Catholic Center pays expenses out of the Social Activities Committee’s budget for social activities, Henderson said. Because Fair Trade is sponsored by Newman, the center picks up the cost because the groups are considered a single entity.

The coffeehouse is tri-sponsored by the Fair Trade Coalition, Newman Social Activities Committee and the Wesley Foundation, Lanham said.

Around 10-15 people organize the events of both committees, Henderson said. The number of students available to work at the coffeehouse changes each Saturday.

Michaelis said the several coffeehouses held last year have helped the group with preparation of the coffeehouse.

Organizers usually arrive an hour early to brew coffee, set the stage, sometimes light candles and other preparations, Michaelis said. Saturday will be the first coffeehouse of the semester run by the Fair Trade Coalition. The coalition and Newman Social Activities Committee will alternate running the coffeehouse each week.

Campus Editor Jennifer Chiariello can be reached at [email protected].