(Butler, PA) Butler County Community College trustees today approved an agreement that will allow a downtown coffee shop to operate, manage and provide food services at a cafeteria and café on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township through May 2029.

Trustees authorized a motion from the board’s finance committee to select Vintage Coffeehouse, 209 S. Main St., Butler, to succeed CRH Catering Co., Connellsville.

CRH operated under renewable annual contracts with BC3 for approximately 25 years, according to Jake Friel, the college’s vice president for administration and finance.

Before the most-recent agreement’s expiration in June, BC3 and Sodexo – which acquired CRH in November 2024 – did not execute a new contract, and the college formed a food service selection committee.

The committee contacted local businesses to gauge their interest in providing food services by the Aug. 25 start of the fall semester. The panel sent nine requests for proposals Sept. 4 to local businesses and received two responses by the Sept. 19 deadline, according to Brian Opitz, the college’s executive director of operations and a food service committee member.

Image: a photo of a student being handed a white container from a food truck

Butler County Community College criminology student Shamir Daniels, of McKees Rocks, purchases tacos from Brett Hartshorn, owner, Burrito Bunch Food Truck, Sarver, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township. BC3 trustees have approved an agreement that authorizes Vintage Coffeehouse, Butler, to provide food services on BC3’s main campus following the expiration of a contract with a previous vendor.

 

The committee offered opportunities for respondents to view main campus facilities Sept. 12 and Sept. 15, then interviewed respondents Sept. 23 and Sept. 24.

The food service selection panel recommended Vintage Coffeehouse to the board of trustees’ finance committee because the business could best provide the food services sought for the college’s students and employees.

Vintage Coffeehouse will operate the Pioneer Café on the lower level of Founders Hall and the Logan Café on the upper level of the Heaton Family Learning Commons.

The agreement between the college and Vintage Coffeehouse took effect Oct. 15. It includes two one-year renewable options after the original contract ends May 31, 2029. Vintage Coffeehouse will begin operations at BC3 in the near future.

BC3 since Aug. 25 has hosted on its main campus mobile food vendors most weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.