This past summer, Allison Schroder '06 and Sally Velez-Guzman '07E decided to re-open the coffeehouse. "[Sally] lamented that we hadn't seen it alive, and then said in passing that she should start it back up," said Schroder. "I offered to help, and since then, we've been working to revive the Newt."
They spent the greater part of the fall semester dealing with the logistics of the business. One aspect of the project included renewing the contract with Porter, the Russian and German theme house. The contract enables the Newt to operate from the basement, acknowledges the Newt staff's use of the kitchen and provides a few guidelines.
"It's basically just a statement of mutual respect-we promise to stay out of their stuff and clean up after ourselves and they do the same," Schroder explained.
"The previous contract was very general. ... We went into details this time," Porter's Resident Counselor Meltem Duran '05 said. The contract ensures that Duran will know when people are baking for The Newt. The Newt will also cater two weekly house events, Russian Chai and Kaffeklatch, at no cost to the house.
The Newt closed two years ago due to lack of student interest in joining the business. "There weren't enough bakers," said Ruth Baldwin '04, one of the previous managers of the Newt. "We table tented and we tried to advertise but it didn't seem like people were that interested."
According to Baldwin, she and her former co-manager Alyson Thibodeau '04 were ecstatic when they learned that two people were going to revive the Newt. "We are really happy about it. … [The Hungry Newt] is a really nice alternative to some of the overpriced coffeehouses in town," Baldwin said.
Sunday night, the mood was uplifting as Polly Hall '04 played her guitar and others joined her in song. "I think they have the potential to compete with Schwemm's," said Albert Nah '04, who attended the opening.
Kit Wallach '06 also attended the event. "I think it's great," she said. "I hope that it re-establishes itself as a place to hang out on campus."
Schroder said that students should look forward to lots of sweet surprises. "We could be baking anything. We have the usual brownies and cookies, but one girl is trying cream puffs and another wants to make strawberry cheesecake," she said.
Schroder said prices will stay low because the Hungry Newt is a non-profit business. "This is about fun and baking and chilling and making music," she said. "This is not about money."
The Hungry Newt will operate weekly on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.