A big hoot for Hootie’s Brew
Examiner photos by Celeste Anguiano Morning drink options are available at Hootie’s Brew, a coffee shop operated by Anderson-Shiro student volunteers.
ANDERSON – Anderson-Shiro students and staff are able to enjoy great coffee in the nest with the opening of Hootie’s Brew, a coffee shop operated solely by Anderson-Shiro students.
Hootie’s Brew began the brew process Dec. 7, thanks to a $4,100 grant from the Anderson-Shiro Education Foundation.
Teachers, Lauren Polan and Lindsey Young, said the idea originated several years ago from students in Polan’s business class. Polan and Young applied for the grant as a way to teach students business skills. Young teaches Life Skills, and her students are able to thrive from the day-to-day added responsibility of helping with Hootie’s Brew. Her students are responsible for cleaning once the shop closes and breaking down the coffee shop.
The coffee shop is open in the high school cafeteria offering an array of drinks for all tastes. Students who volunteer their time are in charge of everything from setting up each day, taking orders, making the menu, creating new drink creations, taking inventory, marketing and more.
Anderson-Shiro senior, Angela Leblanc, is the head barista at Hootie’s Brew. She wants to ensure there is something for everyone on the menu, so she has created drinks that even non-coffee drinkers can enjoy.
One of Leblanc’s favorite drinks to make is a raspberry mocha – hot or iced. “What got me to make the mocha in the first place was that people were saying they don’t really like coffee specifically or they don’t like the flavor of coffee,” explained Leblanc. “So, I explored options of caffeinated drinks that doesn’t have a strong coffee taste. I experimented with the mocha and let that person try it. They really enjoyed it, so it is now on the menu.” Leblanc said there are other drinks available as well including peach tea.
Hootie’s Brew has allowed students to learn business management skills one cup at a time. All proceeds go directly back into the coffee shop, but eventually the plan is to expand. “Our goal is to make enough money where we can get a trailer and make a mobile coffee shop,” said Polan. “We would like to be able to take it to downtown Anderson for parades, to the football field for games etc.” Additional goals include distributing grants to teachers and possibly giving scholarships to students.
The coffee shop is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to students in the mornings and available throughout the day for teachers and faculty only.