BC3 to receive food service from Vintage Coffeehouse
BUTLER TWP — When Butler County Community College did not renew its contract for food service with an international company, the committee to find a new provider decided to take a more local approach.
The college’s board of trustees voted on Wednesday, Oct. 15, to approve a three-year food service contract between the college and Vintage Coffeehouse, a Butler-based coffee shop.
The coffeehouse will be responsible for the Pioneer Cafe in the lower level of Founders Hall and the Logan Cafe in the upper level of the Heaton Family Learning Commons.
“Vintage Coffeehouse is committed to a quick launch to meet BC3’s current needs and we’re happy to report that they plan to be operational within the next month,” Josh Novak, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, told trustees during Wednesday’s meeting.
The coffeehouse will fill the role of the former provider, CRH Catering Company, which operated under annual contracts with the college for around 25 years. CRH was purchased by Sodexo in November 2024.
“The college formed, in the spring, a food service committee made of representatives from around the college,” Novak said. “We explored both other options in food service and within the company, Sodexo, that purchased CRH.”
According to a news release from the college, when the contract came up for renewal in June, BC3 and Sodexo decided not to continue it. In the absence of a dedicated vendor, the college has been offering mobile food vendors most weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We also heard from folks like Jake (Friel), who’s met with business officers from around the state, of the challenges schools are having with food service and learn about some successful models where instead of partnering with a large entity, schools were partnering with community agencies,” Novak said.
Brian Opitz, executive director of operations and a member of the food service committee, said the panel sent nine requests for proposals to local businesses and received two responses by the Sept. 19 deadline.
Sodexo was not among the responses, Novak said.
According to the release, the food service selection committee recommended Vintage Coffeehouse to the board of trustees’ finance committee because it could best provide the food services for the college’s students and employees.
The three-year initial contract also includes two one-year renewable options, meaning the contract could last as long as May 31, 2029.
Angela and Peter Kupas, the owners of Vintage Coffeehouse, said in an email Wednesday that they were drawn to the role as it serves as a chance for them to bring “great coffee and genuine hospitality” to the college.
“We’re genuinely excited and grateful for the opportunity to partner with BC3. From the beginning, Vintage Coffeehouse has been rooted in community, and now partnering with BC3 feels like a natural extension of that mission,” the email said.
They said they are confident, but realistic, about growing the business and managing new locations. The focus, for Vintage, will be to provide “the same level of quality, care and culture that our customer have come to expect,” regardless of location.
