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Griff’s Roost barista seeks to improve cafe for Westminster community

This story was initially written in Fall 2022 by former Forum reporter Madi Goddard.

Forum reporter Madi Goddard sat down with Griff’s Roost Cafe employee Chris Forbush to learn about his experience with coffee, his passions and how he and other team members are working together to make Griff’s Roost an integral part of the Westminster College community. 

Chris Forbush, a barista at Griff’s Roost Cafe, said he would like to see the space become a place for the community. To begin improving the cafe, Forbush said he wants people in Westminster College’s community to spread the word about Griff’s Roosts’ existence. 

“Bringing more people in throughout the days not only will allow us to improve our skills, but it will also help us to grow and develop what we can offer there,” Forbush said.

Griff’s Roost Cafe, part of Bon Appétit, is located on campus in the Bassis Student Center and “crafts made-to-order coffee and tea beverages in-house and has various pastries and snacks available for purchase,” according to the Westminster campus dining webpage.

Forbush said he has worked at Griff’s Roost Cafe since August 2022, and also worked there prior in 2015. Being a barista on a college campus has its ups and downs, according to Forbush. 

“My favorite part about the job is all the great people you get to meet,” Forbush said. “I really, really enjoy just meeting all the creative and exciting people.” 

Chris Forbush, a barista at Griff’s Roost, grinds espresso beans to make a drink in Bassis Student Center on December 8, 2022. “I really love doing the really creative stuff and when people come in and ask for specialty lattes, that’s something I really enjoy ‘cause it’s more than pulling a tap and getting some hot coffee,” Forbush said. Photo courtesy of Madi Goddard. Image description: A man prepares espresso behind the counter at Griff’s Roost Cafe, located in Bassis Student Center.

The cafe experienced a supply shortage during Fall semester in September, where they were out of chai for “about a week,” according to an Instagram post from The Forum.

“There’s been a learning curve and a pretty nasty one,” Forbush said. “I actually have to take personal responsibility for that. I want to make sure that what people are asking for is always there.”

Forbush said having a more informed employee team will help Griff’s run better in the future.

“Obviously, there are limited resources and that’s one of the reasons I am taking this job so seriously,” Forbush said. “I believe that once we get that coffee shop to produce and operate even more smoothly than it is now, it will provide us the opportunity to continue growing and improving on what we can offer there, and the way that we do that is by taking good care of the students and the staff here.”

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Madi Goddard (she/her/hers) is a third-year communication major minoring in French at Westminster College. She excels at finding ways to spend money but enjoys reading books and decorating for holidays in her downtime. Her favorite animal is a dog and she swears she’s never met one she didn’t like.

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