Returning from winter break, students were welcomed by a refreshed Bethune Annex Café with a more modern design.
From new seating arrangements to upgraded kitchen equipment, the café’s makeover is a new experience for students. According to the Office of Auxiliary Enterprises, plans for additional improvements, including flooring and lighting upgrades, are already underway, with completion expected in summer 2025.
“Renovating the Bethune Annex cafeteria is part of our ongoing commitment to providing modern, welcoming spaces that meet the evolving needs of our community,” LaNiece Tyree, assistant vice president of the Office of Auxiliary Enterprises, said.
The updates, led by Sodexo, Atlantic and Horus Construction, included resurfaced millwork fronts, a new counter at the pasta and pizza station, fresh paint, new sneeze guards and kitchen upgrades such as a pizza oven, rotisserie oven and fryers.
Additionally, the flooring on the food service side was resurfaced and repaired. According to Tyree, the salad area was also redesigned to prepare for a new self-serve cooking station debuting this summer, which will provide students with a hands-on cooking experience. A feature wall now also greets students at the entrance.
Beyond aesthetics, functional improvements were made. The power at the kitchen cook center island was upgraded and the lighting throughout the café was also replaced.
Some students, like Brent Piper, a junior computer science major from Trinidad and Tobago, believe the café could benefit from more grab-and-go food options similar to those available at the Armor J. Blackburn University Center. While the nearby school convenience store offers some ready-made meals, Piper feels expanding these options at Annex would better serve students who are short on time.
Students shared mixed but generally positive views on the renovations. Layla Pottinger, a sophomore speech-language pathology major from Ontario, Canada, said, “I admire the renovations. They bring the elevation that Howard calls for.”
However, she hopes issues like the leaky ceiling will be addressed.
Alex Blocker, a junior organizational communications major from Columbia, South Carolina, said, “These were slight quality-of-life improvements, but I’m glad they’re thinking about the students that eat at Annex.”
Longtime dining staff like Hollis Coates, known by the students as “Miss Pumpkin,” welcomed the adjustments.
“It was time for a change, and it looks brighter and better,” Coates, who has worked at Howard for 27 years, said.
Larry Lewis, another dining services worker, agreed with Coates.
“They take too long to do stuff here, so I’m glad they did it now,” he said.
Tyree noted that future upgrades are already in the works.
“Future upgrades will include improvements to the flooring and lighting, helping to create an even more inviting and efficient environment for all who use the cafeteria,” she said.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
