A line of students gathered at the northeastern end of McCarthy Quad as Illy Caffè offered free espresso, specialty drinks and merchandise Tuesday, a week ahead of National Coffee Day.
Illy hosted the pop-up event between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in collaboration with USC Hospitality and USC Recreational Sports. Spokesperson Jayla Johnson said the event was organized “from coffee lovers, to coffee lovers.”
The day began at 8:30 a.m with yoga and free drinks on McCarthy Quad, with about 50 students in attendance.
The specialty brew stand offered espresso and fall recipes, including pumpkin spice and salted caramel maple. Students were also offered free Illy brand tote bags and tan Illy hats, and were invited to leave a positive message on the “Wall of Love” at the entrance of the event.
For some students, the free coffee offered a chance to recharge between classes.
“I just walked out here from my chem lab this morning,” said Graham Todd, a freshman biology major who attended the event. “When I came back I tapped in. I’ll finish this over the next hour and try to stay dialed in until my classes are over.”
Shari Franklin, director of marketing at Illy, described the event as “a morning of wellness, connectivity, coffee and fun.”
The pop-up comes a week ahead of National Coffee Day, observed annually in the United States on Sept. 29.
Edited by Jadon Frank and JohVonne Roberts