Schoenherr Hall and Coffee Dregs, 1994-2006
In 1994, alumni Gus '48 and Connie Schafer '50 Schoenherr made a substantial donation to North Central College. Their donation allowed the purchase of land on Ellsworth Street that would be the future home of North Central's Fine Arts Center. As the college raised funds for this large construction project, it decided to make use of a building already on the property and named it in honor of the College's benefactors.
Schoenherr Hall would house many college offices and programs over its lifetime, but one constant was its first tenant: Coffee Dregs Coffee House. Begun by students, staff, and administrators working together over the summer of 1994, Coffee Dregs was a popular hangout for students, and featured live music, poetry events, and student art as well as food and beverages.
The 1998 Spectrum yearbook included a feature on Coffee Dregs.
Even though the college always intended to use the Schoenherr Hall property to build a fine arts center, the prospect of the building’s demolition did not sit well with all students, as this Chronicle letter to the editor illustrates.
When the Boilerhouse Café opened in 2003, Coffee Dregs closed. Diehard patrons gathered in May 2004 for a final Open Mic Night in the now-empty space. Schoenherr Hall would be torn down in 2006 to prepare for the construction of North Central’s fine arts center.