The Underground Coffee Company, Brown’s only student-run coffee shop, received 10 violations from the Rhode Island Department of Health in an Oct. 3 report.
Violations included the milk being too warm, a lack of available thermometers to test food temperatures, no hot water at the handwashing sink and the presence of dust and cobwebs. The majority of the violations have already been remedied or are in the process of being fixed, said Imran Hussain ’26, a co-manager of the Underground.
The Underground doesn’t have full control over its space, according to Hussain. Some violations — such as a refrigerator draining onto the floor and a lack of hot water at the handwashing sink — require other groups, like the Student Activities Office, to make repairs. Sometimes, it takes a while for those organizations to assess and fix these issues, Hussain said.
Marisa Fortney, the assistant director of Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center and Student Activities, told The Herald that SAO relays facilities issues to Facilities Management and external companies.
In response to the refrigerator drainage violation, Fortney added that “SAO is in the process of reaching out to get a site visit scheduled.”
The Underground’s managers said that prior to the inspection report, they were not aware of some of RIDOH’s requirements.
“Things don’t get communicated very well because there’s an inherent bureaucracy to the existence of the Underground and our connection with Brown, and that has created some rifts in communication,” Eleanor Dushin ’26, another co-manager, said in an interview with The Herald.
Fortney wrote that the Underground managers regularly meet with SAO supervisors. “All procedures are listed in a best practices manual which was developed by the Underground team in conjunction with SAO and shared amongst staffers,” she wrote in an email to the Herald.
The inspector reported that the milk in the fridge was 5°F warmer than the 41°F limit. Harmful bacteria can grow in milk when it is warmer than 40°F.
But Hussain said that the Underground’s fridge was at the right temperature. The inspector came in at 11:20 a.m., one the busiest times for the coffee shop. During the rush, the milk had gotten warm outside of the fridge, and it was still in the process of cooling when the inspector took its temperature inside the fridge, he said.
“During a rush, you don’t really have the luxury to put the milk back into the fridge because it's just inconvenient,” Hussain said.
“Any feedback we receive from anyone — whether that’s a student or a faculty member or Rhode Island Health and Safety — is very much appreciated,” Dushin said.“We see it as a way to make the space more safe and more comfortable for anyone here.”
Students had mixed feelings about the violation. Some said they’re less likely to go back to the Underground and others said they don’t mind.
Henry Zamore ’27 was surprised to learn about the report. “How could you have health and safety violations with coffee and pastries?” he said. “It’s a coffee shop. I feel like it can’t be that hard.”
Zamore said the violations will not stop him from ordering from the Underground. “If I'm going, I'm getting a hot drink. (The heat is) probably going to sanitize whatever would have been there. I’m not really a germaphobe,” he said.
On the other hand, Rachel El Grably ’28 said she will need to learn more about the violations before deciding whether to go back. “It’s student-run, things happen. I get it,” she said.
Ava Rahman ’27 said she will probably go to the Underground less after learning about the violations because “it’s a little unsettling hygiene-wise.”
Dushin said everyone on the staff makes an effort to create a safe and comfortable space for all visitors. The first rule of the Underground, according to its founders, is “by students, for students,” Dushin said. In the spirit of this principle, the managers have made an effort to bring new students into the space by organizing and hosting open events.
“It’s definitely a sanctuary for us,” Dushin said. “We want you to feel like you belong here, like you can have a good experience here, and absolutely health and safety fall into that category.”
Elysée is a writer for metro, a producer for the Bruno Brief podcast and an aspiring card game creator. She is a second-year student studying International and Public Affairs on the Policy and Governance Track.
