The Swarthmore Mayor

Anne Dortone is an employee at the Kohlberg Coffee Bar. This interview was conducted by Wyatt Brannon ’26 and Lou Williams ’27 of The Mayor‘s Editorial Board.

WB: How are you doing today?

AD: I’m doing fantastic! I’m doing great.

WB: How long have you been here at Swarthmore? When did you first get here?

AD: I have been here, as of last month, 24 years. I started out part time, and so I’ve actually been here almost 25 years. But the first year doesn’t count because I wasn’t full time, so we’re going to say 24.

WB: 24 years! Well, we love having you here. We’re glad that you’re still here.

AD: Thank you.

WB: During that time, how have things changed here? Do people still come in and get coffee the same way, or has it changed?

AD: Well, I originally was down in Sharples for 16 years, until 2016, and then Essie’s was doing a redo. They were revamping the whole place and they had a full time position open at Essie’s, so I applied for that, and I moved up there for, I think, four years. So I’ve only been at the coffee bar here for two years.

Over these two years, the major change has been just more people. The coffee’s the same. When I first came over here, my manager told me he didn’t think it would be for me because he thought I’d be bored, because the business was somewhat slow. But I have not found that to be the case – it’s busy, very busy. But I like it like that.

WB: I’m glad to hear that. I come in here most days and the line is like 10 people long and I get in the back of that line. Each one of them is ordering a different kind of coffee or matcha tea, and it takes a little bit for the line to move forward.

AD: Coffee’s an important part of people’s day. It really is.

WB: How was Essie’s when you were there? I mean, everything has changed here on campus. Narples is now a thing. Sharples – Old Sharples is no longer here. Essie Mae’s has moved down the hill. How do you feel about that?

AD: When I first started here, the number of students was fewer. Therefore the staff wasn’t as large as it is now. We were more of a unit back then, 24 years ago. We helped each other, we could jump in when we saw the need, and it was more of a team-like atmosphere. Now, things have gotten so crazy with the amount of people that are being served. You’re pretty much focused on your own job, whereas before you felt more personal with each other. Now, it just feels more, bam, bam, you have to get it in, get it out. So, in that respect, the personal interactions aren’t quite the same as they used to be.

WB: You still have close relationships with some students, though, and some faculty.

AD: Up here I do. At Essie’s, not so much. When I was there, my back was to all of the students because I was on the grill. So I would just hear things and make food and never see who it was going to or have the opportunity to say hello. So when I came here, I loved this aspect.

WB: Yes, and we love having you here. Kohlberg coffee bar is not quite like a bar because you can’t sit down and talk to the bartender for 20 minutes, but we do get to talk to you a little bit.

AD: It’s a minute to catch up and say “How’s your day?” You know, if you’re not feeling well, you tell me you’re not feeling well. I say, feel better. There’s some human interaction. At Essie’s it felt very rushed, and very militaristic.

WB: You’re not at Kohlberg all day, of course; it’s not a 24-7 establishment. What kind of things do you do in your free time?

AD: Well, at home I have my four children, all grown. My oldest is 42 and my youngest is 32. Two of them have children, so I’m involved in my grandchildren’s sports. I go to their basketball and football games and things like that. I have three dogs that keep me busy, and of course my husband’s there to help. I’m also in a book club with some friends.

WB: Oh, that’s exciting!

AD: Yeah! So we read a book, about one a month, and we get together and discuss.

WB: What was the last book y’all read?

AD: It was called First Lie Wins. There are seven of us in the club and we each pick a book, and I do believe it’s my turn this month. And I do like to travel. I went to Ireland with my children back in 2012. I went to Atlantis [a resort in the Bahamas] for my daughter’s 40th birthday.

WB: That was going to be my next question. I heard that you went to the Bahamas. How was that?

AD: I did! I loved it. Atlantis was amazing. It really was. I went with my three daughters and we swam with the dolphins, watched some beautiful sunsets and had amazing cocktails. It was really, really beautiful.

WB: Glad to hear that was a good time. Do your kids still live here in the Swarthmore area or are they spread out across the country?

AD: We all live within the area. I live two miles from here. One of my daughters and her husband and children live on the same street as I do. My other daughters live about two and a half miles from me, so we’re all within a two and a half mile radius. And my son still lives at home with my husband and I. So we’re all very close knit.

WB: So: Birds or Chiefs? This is a very important question.

AD: Birds! There could be no other answer to that sitting here out in the outskirts of Philadelphia! I’m really excited about this game. It’s going to be a good one.

WB: A few questions about your job here and Swarthmore. This was a question that was asked a lot when I was in student leadership. There are a lot of different segments of campus that receive money from the student body, from students buying things, such as Kohlberg, Essie’s, or the textbook office. Where does that money go after y’all receive it?

AD: The money that we take in each day goes down to the Business Office at Sharples. And it goes to Lynn Brady, who checks and calculates all of our intake daily. And from there, I assume it goes to the Business Office.

WB: So, it’s just subsumed into the operating budget I guess.

AD: Where it goes, I have no clue. … That’s a curious question, because does it go back into dining? No idea. Don’t know.

WB: Has it ever been considered taking meal swipes for the Indian food at Kohlberg before?

AD: It has not, no, because there aren’t any meal swipes on campus other than the dining center for lunch.

WB: Well they used to have swipes at Essie’s.

AD: Only after 3pm.

WB: I ask only because I would love to use a meal swipe on the Indian food.

AD: The only other option for a meal swipe is the Grab-n-Go right now. So you can use a meal swipe for that, and it has to be done on the GET app, pre-ordered.

WB: We heard that there is a potential expansion coming to Kohlberg Café.

AD: We have heard that also. We recently had our January meeting at the Inn – all of dining – and there it was announced by Anthony Coschignano [Associate Vice President for Campus Services] that in the summer Kohlberg will be expanded. I actually saw blueprints of what the expansion was going to look like.

WB: That’ll be interesting. Exciting stuff is happening!

AD: It is.

WB: Anne, is there anything you wish students knew regarding Kohlberg Café? Anything you want to share with the student body?

AD: I don’t think so. I love the fact that Kohlberg has its own little group. And I want you all to know how much we enjoy all of you. It’s just a pleasure. I mean that. You know, I’m on the brink of retirement. I turned 65 last October, so I can go whenever I’m ready, I’m financially situated to do that. My husband keeps saying, what are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? I stay because I love my job, I truly love it. But my body is getting tired. What I want you all to know is just that I appreciate you all. We do. You’re a really great, great group to wait on each and every day and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

We had a bad weekend where one of our administrative assistants up in Econ, Megan Salladino, passed away. You would have seen her down here all the time. … And she was only 52 years old, she had two sons, and she was about to be a grandmother. So it’s rough not seeing her come in here. Kohlberg is a unique little entity on campus. The other administrative assistants all came down and we hugged his morning. These are the human interactions I will miss, even in a sad time. We are here for each other, and that includes all of you.

WB: Thank you so much; it’s really good seeing you. We appreciate you too.

AD: You’re welcome. You too, anytime!