Record profits, mutual employee and customer satisfaction as well as upcoming menu changes indicate a boom in business at The Library Café.

The dining option opened last fall with a degree of uncertainty.

This spring’s optimism suggests that The Library Café is remarkably successful in its cameo on campus. Manager Ashley Greene confirmed the operation’s success. Sales are up since last August and The Library Cafe is also outdoing its predecessor, Einstein Bagel Bros.

At The Library Cafe its all in the name. Their customer service is summed up in their initials, TLC – tender loving care.

But more than a change in location, Barista Pamela Campbell points out a change in atmosphere, “I like this location better, we get to see more people, talk more one-on-one, and really interact with the students.”

Campbell’s passion for students embodies a common theme among employees at The Library Cafe. They really care about the Furman community, and they have become an integral part of it.

Furthermore, Furman students have come to appreciate their compassionate service.

“Everytime I go to the library cafe, I approach the menu with some uncertainty,” Megan Lira ’22 said. “The ladies that work there always say ‘Ok I’m gonna make you this, but if you don’t like it let me know and I’ll be glad to make you something else.”

“They’re so kind and ultimately just want the students to be satisfied,” Lira continuted.

Anne Shaw, a barista on the day shift, works as a wildlife rehabilitator and helps to reintroduce injured songbirds and bats to their natural habitat whenever she is not serving up lattes with a smile.

Veronica Mansell, the Night Shift Supervisor, admits that work at The Library Cafe is not always easy. “I am a single mother and a student, the night shift hours can be hard…but it is my way to provide for my family.”

Other employees, like Ashley Allen, know just how tough working in the library for hours can be. “I am trying to juggle school and work.”

Management is making plans for the future. The most popular items on the menu are the asiago bagels and strawberry banana smoothies.

These items will soon compete with vegan options from a new food vendor.

“We plan on bringing hummus to the menu and adding specialty menu items,” Manager Greene wrote in an email exchange.

Some baristas have also suggested seasonal smoothies, frappes and a create-your-own-bagel option.

These same employees are making their own plans for the future as well. Shaw is preparing to send her daughter to college, while Mansell dreams of opening up her own daycare.

The Library Café is full of tired students and hard working employees. It is a place to get morning coffee and start the day. It is a launch pad for the employees to fulfill their dreams.