However, since College officials first discussed the idea of having a new coffeehouse serving Starbucks coffee and other fare on campus back in January of 2005, pure excitement is what has helped propel the idea full-steam ahead.
Today, students and the campus community got their first sneak peek of HOLY GROUNDS during a blessing of the newly renovated facility by College Chancellor, Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B.
HOLY GROUNDS, the first coffeehouse to bring Starbucks coffee to Gaston County, will officially open to the College community and general public on Monday, August 22, 2005 at 12:00 PM.
“Our first priority is always our students and meeting their needs,” says Karen Van Norman, Vice President and Dean of Student Life, who supervised the project. “It has been extremely rewarding to hear our students’ reactions and those of the campus community. We all feel this will be a wonderful opportunity to help build relationships and continue to encourage an environment of learning.”
The coffeehouse will offer Starbucks fare and deli-style menu items, and will be open seven days a week from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. HOLY GROUNDS will provide patrons with Wi-Fi internet access and serve as a potential meeting place for students, faculty and staff. The location (in Maurus Hall) may also be used as a casual spot for some performances and concerts on campus.
“The College has been extremely fortunate to have the support and commitment of so many individuals. We are grateful for the hard work of Abbey alum Charlie Caputo ’88 and his company, Spectrum Building, Bill Monroe of WGM Design, as well as, Eric Nizinski and Aladdin Food Services,” says Van Norman.
Construction on the 4,000 square foot facility began during the summer of 2005 and has been scheduled to open in time for the fall 2005 semester. Classes at Belmont Abbey College begin on Tuesday, August 23, 2005. The building, which originally served as the students’ dining facility during the ‘60s and most recently as an arcade and TV room, will continue to house the campus post office.
The coffeehouse is named after a campus volunteer project in which Abbey students tried packaging, serving and selling coffee with the same name.
Ranked one of the best liberal arts colleges in the South by U.S. News and World Report, Belmont Abbey College celebrates excellence and virtue steeped in its 128 year Catholic Benedictine heritage. It is home to students from over 34 states and 26 countries and welcomes everyone from any background or tradition committed to this vision of excellence and virtue. The campus consists of the College, the Monastery and the Abbey Basilica, which can be found on its sprawling 650 acres of picturesque landscape.
Just minutes from Charlotte, NC, the nation’s second largest banking center, Belmont Abbey College offers students numerous internship opportunities and career placement.
The College believes in development of the whole person – mind, body and spirit. By offering a wide array of clubs and activities including Division II athletics, theatre, publications, and study abroad, Belmont Abbey College invests in the personal growth of its students.
Founded in 1876, the College celebrates its heritage and is inspired by the Benedictine monastic tradition. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the College and Abbey Basilica greet thousands of visitors each year.
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