Late last winter, the Tandem Bagel Company opened on campus after months of hype and anticipation. For weeks after its opening, lines of eager students waited out the door for Tandem’s bagels, sandwiches, and chai lattes. At Williston, the “tandem run” has become a colloquialism, synonymous with ten-minute rushes for sandwiches and coffee between classes.

Brittany Collins, a Williston senior and former Tandem employee, says “The atmosphere of Tandem is familial, lively, and positive. The staff forms a tight bond that facilitates a very productive, yet fun work atmosphere.”

In short, the Tandem atmosphere is a quaint environment. “Our bond extended to include our customers as we made personal connections with the ‘regulars.’ Everybody who comes into Tandem joins the ‘family,’ making the atmosphere uniquely personal and always upbeat, even after a long shift,” says Collins.

Williston and Tandem are closely intertwined. The Tandem Bagel Company leases the old train station, which used to be Williston’s art studios, from the school. Two of the shop’s owners, Chris Zawacki and Shannon Greenwood, are alums themselves with children currently enrolled at Williston.

Additionally, Tandem’s location is specifically cut out as part of campus to allow students to visit without signing out. This minor hassle that holds so many students from leaving, combined with Tandem’s proximity to central campus, draws students to Tandem so much that “the Williston community is maybe 10-15%” of their business, according to co-owner Chris Zawacki.

On the other side of town, beyond the “campus” boundaries, Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters continues to operate, though with a decidedly reduced patronage from the Williston student body. Walking in the shop, there is a perceptible change. Aside from last summer’s renovations, which have removed the long table and couches once constantly occupied by Willistonians, the addition of sandwiches and a menu expansion now directly vies to divert business back from Tandem. The clientele has diversified in the past year; people from all over the Easthampton community now come to enjoy a coffee, sandwich, or even a cold beer after a hard day. Shelburne has now set itself apart by acquiring a beer and wine license, taking the unclaimed market real estate between Christine’s Bean Sprout Café and the Brass Cat.

Ultimately, this has led to something of a dilemma for Williston student, namely how to rectify the presence of two quality establishments in the local community. Unfortunately, this is among the many products of simple capitalism.

However, there are die-hard fans on both ends of the spectrum. “The best part of Shelburne is the atmosphere,” says sophomore Bella Gibson-Luikart. “The coffee is pretty decent too, but that’s not what stands out and makes it my favorite café … I’m a social caffeinator [sic].”

Another senior says, “I like my coffee at Shelburne, but my bagels from Tandem. There’s nothing quite like an ECS on a Hot & Spicy bagel at eight in the morning or a Snickerdoodle bagel with chive in the afternoon … Their espresso is quite good too, which has drawn me there [Tandem] far more often [this year] than I initially expected.”

Both Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters and the Tandem Bagel Company serve the community as strong, consistent providers of quality food and drink. There are merits to each establishment, but ultimately the choice to partake lies in the hands of the hungry and the thirsty.