Fresh sandwiches, gourmet pastries and organic coffee drew more than 850 patrons to Monday's debut of Mad Hatter's Cafe and Bake Shop in the Karl and Mary Ellen von der Heyden Pavilion.
The Perkins Library eatery, which is also known as The Perk, buzzed with chatter and classic songs by the Beach Boys. The Perk opened at 7:30 a.m. Monday, and by 5:15 p.m., it had already run out of eight of its 10 main dishes.
"I'm very happy for the opening," Mad Hatter's owner Jason Balius said. "It was great."
The sleek cafe, enclosed by glass and outfitted with stainless steel appliances, was originally scheduled to open Oct. 12, but its debut was twice hindered by construction delays.
Patrons said the new Perk compares favorably to the cafe's previous incarnation next to Perkins' Gothic Reading Room.
Sara Berghausen, Perkins' literature and theater librarian, said she was pleased by the cafe's liveliness.
"It seemed like there was a lot of work and a lot of socializing going on," Berghausen said. "The space is so much more pleasant."
Balius said many vendors vied for the swank von der Heyden location. A committee of library staff evaluated each proposal before offering the contract to Mad Hatter's.
"I think they made a conscious choice to go with a vendor who would really respond to the needs of the community and offer a top product," Balius said.
Randy Mayes, Trinity '82, said he admired the architecture, but was ambivalent about the Perk as a study space.
"They had music on earlier, and that was kind of obnoxious," Mayes said.
Gesturing to his cup, he added, "I've never paid that much for coffee."
Sophomore Tia Ferguson said the Perk's coffee might present a problem for her as well.
"For me, it's bad that they're here because I stopped drinking coffee last year," she said. "I have the feeling I'm going to be drinking a lot more coffee. Mad Hatter's coffee is definitely my favorite."
The Perk's successful debut, however, does not concern the owner of Duke's other late night cafe.
"We're a great study hall area," Blue Devil Beanery owner Rick Lynch said. He added that the Beanery's proximity to residential halls is a powerful attraction for customers.
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