Schoenherr Hall and Coffee Dregs, 1994-2006

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Schoenherr Hall, c. 2002.

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.

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Ad for Coffee Dregs Coffee House, The North Central College Chronicle, November 4, 1994, page 2

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.

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Quinn Goodwillie, "Alive and Percolating: Gaining Popularity," The Spectrum yearbook, 1998, page 22

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Quinn Goodwillie, "Alive and Percolating: Gaining Popularity," The Spectrum yearbook, 1998, page 23

The 1998 Spectrum yearbook included a feature on Coffee Dregs.

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Traci O'Shea, "Student Opposes Construction of Fine Arts Center," The North Central College Chronicle, February 6, 1998, page 3

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.

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Katie Martin, "Open Mic: Good to the Last Drop," The North Central College Chronicle, May 21, 2004, page 11 

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.

 

Schoenherr Hall and Coffee Dregs, 1994-2006