Hello again!
Today I will be spotlighting The Motley! The Motley Coffeehouse is our beautiful student-run coffee shop on campus. It’s located in Seal Court and is the envy of the entire consortium since we have the best coffee/matcha drinks (yeah that’s right, I said it). I work at the Motley! And I highly recommend it.
The Motley has an array of drinks and funky/unique mugs you can get your drink in. The Motley was one of the first things I fell in love with when I visited Scripps campus. I remember entering with my mom to order myself a hot chocolate and order her a Bowl of Soul (hot tea, steamed soy milk, honey, and cinnamon powder on top), completely in awe of the cool Scripps students shouting complicated drinks. And I remember thinking, “If I were a student here, this is where I would work.” Well, dreams do come true! Working at the Motley was the first thing I applied for once I got on campus and now here I am, living the coffee shop aesthetic life. :’)
“What’s so amazing about the Motley?” you might ask. Well, the drinks are delicious. People from the entire consortium travel far and wide to come get their caffeine intake at the Motley, despite having their own coffeeshops on their own campuses. In addition, as a barista, if you win Barista of the Month, you get to design your own drink for the month. As a customer, it’s so fun to taste the creative drinks baristas come up with. One year, someone made a drink called “Get Shrek’d!” and the barista would yell out “Get out of my swamp!” when they called out your drink.
The Motley also prides itself on locally and sustainably sourcing its products. The managers even have a training where they learn about the delicate practices surrounding the cultivation of coffee beans and espresso. It’s also completely student-run! If you want to learn what it’s like to run a business, apply to be a Motley manager. They handle the finances, the budgeting, the personnel stuff, negotiations with local businesses, engagement with the Scripps community, they patron student artists, hire local musicians for performances, and more!
In addition, the sitting room is so cozy. There’s a blackboard and chalk so you can decorate it and write a lovely message <3. There’s a stage where students will have open mic nights, music performances, workshops, and we even had a drag show for Valentine’s Day one year. People get very creative with how they use the space.
Moreover, the Motley’s walls are lined with student art that they’ve purchased. It’s so cool to see the talent from the Scripps community reflected on the walls. The Motley also has student zines, student books, and other publications on the coffee tables. In addition, there are board games and puzzles that you can play with as you sip your drink. Or, you can just bring your laptop and headphones and get some homework done. I am literally sitting in the Motley right now as I write this lol, listening to the baristas play El Chico Del Apartamento 512 by Selena, courtesy of my roomie Angela who apparently has control of the aux cord right now.
The Motley is truly the heart of the Scripps community, and hopefully this blog has reflected that. If you get the chance to visit Scripps, and the Motley is open, I highly recommend you check it out for yourself. As we like to say at the Motley,
mot love <3,
Angie ’22