Calling all coffee fanatics on campus: the Philadelphia-based coffee and hospitality company, Saxbys, has opened in the Business Building and it is definitely worth checking out. With Saxbys Founder and CEO Nick Bayer’s mission to “Make Life Better,” Saxbys acts as your local neighborhood café serving not only delicious coffee, but also all-natural smoothies, handmade sandwiches, made-to-order breakfast and much more.
Eat
Bagel and cream cheese anyone? Not anymore! Instead of offering the same basic menu items that every other café around Penn State has, the Saxbys menu has been taken to the next level with made-to-order sandwiches, specialized toasts, snacks and fresh baked goods. With both breakfast and lunch options, such as the classic egg and cheese or chicken avocado sandwich, you won’t have to settle for your same go-to meal anymore. On top of the array of sandwiches, the best part of the menu is specialty toasts that layer various spreads with either strawberries, peaches, figs, veggies or other classic ingredients. Don’t forget about the baked good section that is filled with croissants, brownies, cakes and muffins. Word on the street is that a warmed French toast muffin is the perfect way to start your day!
Sip
With roasts rotating daily and over a dozen specialty flavor combinations, Saxbys will no doubt have your fix of caffeine the way you like it. From the ‘Classic Drinks’ section to ‘Espresso’ and ‘Specialty Drinks’ sections, you can order a typical black coffee, hot chocolate, iced tea, cappuccino, mocha and much more. If you’re looking for more of a healthy start to your day, Saxbys also offers all-natural fruit smoothies made with honey and non-fat yogurt, the ‘Daily Grind’ being a fan favorite of Saxbys customers.
Work
The back-story behind Saxbys opening started with Penn State’s partnership with the company last spring with plans to open a student-managed Saxbys Experiential Learning Café. The business is completely student-run with a student as the Student Café Executive Officer (SCEO). The SCEO runs and manages the café in all aspects giving them daily hands-on experience as well as internship and independent study credits. Ben Yan, Penn State sophomore, is the current SCEO managing 100 other undergraduate team members this semester. Saxbys interviewed him as well as two other students that have been part of the formation of the Penn State location.
Both Smeal and Saxbys are very excited about this new program and can’t wait to see how it further shapes the community. Director of Smeal’s Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Shawn Clark, says, “The Saxbys partnership complements the many strengths of Smeal’s entrepreneurship programs, while also adding another key component to the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Interested in working for Saxbys? Read all about Saxbys careers here.
