This past summer, the Thomas Hammer Coffee Company store located inside the Vandal Store closed, with plans to put a new shop in its place.
Vandal Brew has now opened its doors. While this change may be better for the University of Idaho’s sales, is it better for the students, their main customers, who stop in daily? The shift to Starbucks and away from the Thomas Hammer brand raises questions.
Vandal Brew participates in the “We Proudly Serve Starbucks” program, which allows the store to sell Starbucks drinks while maintaining control over operations and food options.
Starbucks is an international company with over 41,000 stores across more than 80 countries as of June 29, 2025. In comparison, Thomas Hammer has only 17 coffee shops. They are a local business that started back in 1993 on the campus of Gonzaga University and has been long rooted in the Northwest.
By leaving a local business for a corporate giant, UI traded community for mass production. With the return of this massive coffee company to campus, it is important to note some controversies Starbucks has faced in the last several years.
In January of 2024, NBC News reported that Starbucks was being sued for false advertisement of “ethical sourcing” while Brazilian suppliers were accused of unsafe and abusive labor practices. In 2022, inspectors rescued 17 workers from “modern slavery” on a coffee farm in partnership with Starbucks, according to Reporter Brasil.
While many hoped this was a one-off instance of Starbucks being on the wrong side of history, it sadly was not. There have also been more cases of media controversy, especially with the current war in Palestine and Starbucks’ controversial opinion on the matter.
Starbucks was vaulted into debates over the Middle East when the union working to organize baristas in the US posted a message on social media expressing “solidarity” with Palestine, shortly after the 7 October attack by Hamas.
After the Starbucks Workers United union posted a message on social media expressing solidarity with Palestine on Oct. 9, 2023, the company sued the union for trademark infringement. Starbucks argued that the union damaged the company’s reputation with the post. Workers United counter-sued, asking to be allowed to continue to use the company’s name and similarly claiming a damaged reputation.
Starbucks and Workers United have yet to finalize a union contract. The company has faced multiple allegations of retaliation, including firing workers and permanently closing stores that attempt to organize.
Josh Kosh, the director of business development and marketing and communications for UI Auxiliary Services, explained that Idaho Eats encompasses campus food service operations within the ISUB, campus dining halls and also new concepts, like Vandal Brew.
“Thomas Hammer Coffee Roasters chose to conclude its lease, and the university supported that request. The decision was reached on mutually agreeable terms, with gratitude for the service Thomas Hammer provided to the campus community,” Kosh wrote in an email to The Argonaut.
Kosh also said that the move to Vandal Brew was not in the pursuit of a better-known company but instead aligned with the changing campus population.
Before Thomas Hammer’s 2023 opening, the Vandal Store featured a full-service Starbucks that was operated and staffed by the university. In early 2022, UI choose not to renew this agreement, Kosh said.
“At the time, Auxiliary Services shared that a new café concept would be selected based on its ability to provide value and meet the evolving needs of the campus community,” Kosh wrote.
This was at the height of public criticism of Starbucks. Could this be a coincidence?
Kosh explained that the university saw an opportunity to create something that was “uniquely Vandal” and that Vandal Brew is not a replacement of Thomas Hammer or Starbucks, but rather “a chance to design a campus-operated coffee shop that reflects student input on hours, menu options and overall atmosphere. The goal is to deliver a high-quality experience while giving students a stronger voice in how the space serves them.”
Kosh also said that Vandal Brew has become a quick favorite on campus and popular with students and alumni.
Dr. Lysa Salsbury, the director of strategic initiatives for Student Affairs, shared her opinion on the new coffee shop.
“The coffee was good, and the service was very friendly and I like how ‘Vandal’ it is in there,” Salsbury said. “I was surprised at how expensive my coffee was, though. I got a 16-ounce latte … my latte cost over $7.42 after tax. It is extremely expensive for students, and students are less likely to go there where there are three coffee shops that are cheaper.”
Prices are on average $0.68 more at Vandal Brew than the Palouse Mall Starbucks location. The menu features 10 coffee options and 28 total drink options, compared to Starbucks’ total of 130.
College students often struggle financially. Whether they are trying to pay for tuition or housing or even paying off debt, most don’t have a lot of extra money to spend.
Buying coffee out is already a luxury for many students. Creating an on-campus coffee shop that is meant to fulfill students’ needs should not start at such a high price point.
“I prefer to go to One World because they use Landgrove [Coffee Roasters]’ coffee that is locally roasted,” Salsbury said. “It’s organic and it doesn’t have all the pesticides that commercial coffee growers use. I think that supporting organizations that support ethical production is important to me.”
While we can applaud the university for taking the initiative after Thomas Hammer decided against coming back, their effort to create a coffee shop that is more “Vandal” seems to be lacking necessary research. There should be a better investigation into how this can truly become a campus favorite without concerns over ethical practices or overpriced coffee.
Lexie Yates can be reached at [email protected].