Students at this coffee shop balance the books

Students not only work behind the counter at Brewbike’s cafe on JMU’s campus, but they run the entire business operations.

Video story by contributor Kevin Gorman

College campuses have plenty of coffee shops, but unlike the Starbucks cafés and Dunkin’ shops, the newest one to open on JMU’s campus is a student-run business. 

Brewbike, which opened this winter, is located in The Union building at JMU and open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. And it not only employs students to work behind the counter but also to run the business. John Gokey, a junior accounting student, serves as the coffee shop’s CEO. 

JMU is one of eight college campuses with a Brewbike operation, and three more are expected to open one soon. Two Northwestern University students started the company in 2015.

And Gokey told The Citizen the shop had a successful launch and is looking to spread the word. Here’s a look inside the business: 


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