Student-run coffee station a hit at I.C.’s West High School

IOWA CITY - The line forms seconds after the bell rings.

“Coffee, please.”

“I'll have a hot chocolate.”

Service is quick, but a few unlucky customers leave empty-handed, victims of a bell that won't wait for those needing a pick-me-up.

Business is booming at Pump It Up, the new student-operated coffee shop at West High School.

“You gauge a business's success by the number of customers you have,” said Diane Fickel, a business education teacher at West. “We're already in the black.”

That's what Fickel hoped for when she put the shop together with her independent business study students - only she thought it would take longer than a few weeks to call it a success. Pump It Up opened Nov. 29.

"It has exceeded all expectations - and more,” she said.

Offering West students and staff hot chocolate, flavored coffee and a selection of teas, Pump It Up is open during first, second, third and fifth hour passing times. The shifts are manned by one of four business students. They are assisted by some of the school's special education students.

Pump It Up provides hands-on entrepreneurial experience for the business students and work experience for the special needs students.

“I thought it was a great idea,” said senior Logan Stutsman, 18.

Chloe Sadler, 16, agreed.

“It seemed like it would be a good experience,” the junior said. “I like to hang out in coffee shops anyway.”

“There's a lot of work that goes into running a business - things I didn't think about before we started,” senior Liz Vest, 17, said.

That's the point.

“These students want to own their own business someday,” Fickel said.

What better way to prepare them for the responsibility than by giving them the opportunity to do just?

Marketing. Purchasing. Inventory. These are just some of the duties the students have, in addition to customer service and maintenance.

If water is low during a shift, they need to get more. If there's a spill, they have to take care of it. The bell rings and there are still people in line? Time to use diplomacy in moving them along without hurting future business.

Operating from a renovated storage closet near Fickel's classroom, she's only a few feet away if problems arise, but overall the students run the business independently. In fact, they take turns showing up at 6:45 a.m. every morning to start brewing.

Sophomore Madison Richard, 15, is grateful for their dedication.

“It's so convenient,” Richard said while ordering cocoa. “It's getting cold outside. It's nice to have something to warm up during the day.”

Pump It Up charges $1 for tea or cocoa. Coffee is $1.50 - $1 if you have your own mug. Proceeds that aren't put back into the business are applied to scholarships for the business and special education student groups.

“I knew it was going to be popular, but I didn't know it was going to blow everything out of the water,” Sadler said.

“I didn't think it was going to stay popular,” said senior Kaitlyn Vriezelaar, 18. “I thought the rush would trickle off eventually.”

Then the bell rings and a line forms again.