Years in the making, student café shakes things up
Samantha Osaduke
Staff Writer
Glendonites and visitors can finally say “bienvenue” to a brand new student-run, student-operated café which boasts self-sustainability.
Located in the Glendon Manor basement, the co-operatively run café opened fall 2011. It was developed by the Lunik Development Committee, which consists of a team of Glendon students who have been working together since it was formed in 2009.
Manager of student affairs Aaron Doupe, says the Lunik project was born in 2005, and first brought up as an alternative eatery offering sustainable options.
“Though it is not yet offering food, the dedicated students working on the project are planning for Lunik’s next phase,” says Doupe.
Lunik has waited three years to create a petition and have a 90-cent-per-credit levy approved by administration. This levy adds up to a fee of $27 a year for full-time students.
“We tried to get the renovations done since the kitchen is not up to standards,” says Kaela Greenstein, director general of Lunik Co-op. “We ended up painting and getting it as good as we could without major renovations.”
Run on a pay-as-you-go system with the help of student volunteers, Lunik provides organic snacks and beverages. They serve fair-trade coffee and snacks that are vegan and gluten-free.
While some may be skeptical of the trust system of payment, it seems to be working quite well.
“We have someone behind the counter taking donations and everyone is paying,” says Greenstein. “We have a minimum 50 cent donation, but people are donating more, and as much as they’re willing to pay. Some profs will pay five dollars. We’re going to keep the system.”
And life may be busy, but many students still manage to find the time to volunteer at Lunik.
“We have at least two or three volunteers between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. During off hours, we have one or two volunteers,” recalls Greenstein.
On a weekly basis, she says Lunik has up to 30 people who volunteer anywhere between an hour to 10 hours per week.
Student response, according to Doupe, has been nothing but positive.
“The space is regularly used for meetings, socializing, studying, and events,” he says. “Lunik has been in development for many years, so I think the community is really happy to have this new space.”
Second-year student Kelly Lui loves the fact that the café is operated by students.
“It’s actually run by students for students,” she says. “The fact that it is co-op is great because the purpose is for who we serve, and we are a part of it. I enjoy an open and relaxed space to just hang out with friends.”
Interested? Contact lunikcafe@gmail.com for more information.
