Wellesley College used to have an on-campus bar. 

On the first floor of Lulu, across from Tishman Commons and around the corner from Cafe Hoop, is Punch’s Alley, a red room, also known as Pub, that used to house a student-run cooperative where student bartenders served alcoholic drinks.

“I joined Pub because, in my time at Wellesley, it was really a space – and I think that this is true for all of the co-ops, actually – where a lot of really progressively-minded students on campus would congregate,” said Hazel Leung ‘20, an alumna who started working at Pub as a sophomore.

Students would gather at Punch’s Alley for Pub Night on Thursdays, and organizations could book the space for events.

In addition to being a community hub, Pub provided a safe space for students to experiment with alcohol on campus. Workers at Pub were certified by Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS), the training program for bartenders designed to help prevent underage drinking and overconsumption. 

“If you wanted to party in a safe environment, this was kind of like partying with training wheels on,” said Leung. Intoxicated students could go to Café Hoop to get food, and dorms were always within walking distance. “This was like, we’re having fun, but training wheels are still very much securely attached.”

Student cooperatives, such as Pub, Café Hoop, and El Table, were all closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. When they reopened, Pub could no longer serve alcohol and rebranded as an event space that served mocktails. Some students speculated that Pub had lost their liquor license.

Punch’s Alley used to operate under a Dining Hall License, a type of license that allows higher education institutions in Wellesley to serve food and beverages. Roger’s Pub, the on-campus bar at Babson College, currently serves alcohol under a Dining Hall License.

The Town of Wellesley told the News that the license for Punch’s Alley “has remained inactive but renewed should the school wish to reopen Punch’s Alley as a dining hall and would be eligible to reopen after reinspections.”

The decision to stop serving alcohol at Punch’s Alley was ultimately made by the College administration.

Stacey Schmeidel, director of media relations, explained in an email statement to the News that the Town inspector came for a scheduled visit related to reopening the Pub in 2021. While there, he observed violations of College policy and Town regulations. 

“This unfortunate situation jeopardized the College’s ability to serve alcohol not only in the Pub, but also as needed at events for faculty, staff and alums,” Schmeidel said. 

This led the College to transition the Pub to serving mocktails rather than alcohol. For the next two years, Pub continued to serve mocktails and provide a venue for campus events.

It was not until April 2023 that a performance by a local punk band, NEETS, prompted safety concerns and eventually Pub’s full shutdown.

“The band handed out these slips of paper that had these sort of threatening messages on them, talking about having planted a bomb in the gender-neutral bathroom,” said Andreea Sabau ‘23. Sabau was the head managing editor of the News during the 2022-23 academic year and covered the story at the time.

During the performance, the band pulled out props that some audience members mistook for real guns.

According to Sabau, attendees “were not given notice of the fact that there would be a gun, real or fake, in the show. And at the time, in that quick decision-making, you don’t know if it’s real or fake.”

Campus Police swept the building and began an investigation into the incident. Soon after the incident, in April, Pub closed indefinitely pending an investigation by the Office of Student Involvement. 

Amanda Kaufman, associate director of student involvement and leadership, declined to be interviewed for this story.

Two years later, Pub has not emerged from the incident and has yet to reopen. The student-run cooperative is now defunct.

In the Wellesley Administrative Handbook last updated in September 2024, the College prohibits imitation or replica firearms on College premises, with the exception that the entire exterior surface is brightly colored or translucent or the barrel is closed with a blaze orange plug that extends at least a half an inch. 

While Punch’s Alley is no longer managed by students, Schmeidel said that the space is still available for use. 

“The Pub remains a valuable student programming and event space where ‘mocktails’ can be served. Student organizations interested in hosting activities at the Pub may contact OSI,” she said. 

The latest episode of the Word on Wellesley (WoW!), the Wellesley News official podcast, explores the history of Punch’s Alley and the reasons for its decline. Listen to the Word on Wellesley (WoW!) on Spotify for the full story on Punch’s Alley and interviews with alumnae on their experiences at Pub.

Contact the editors responsible for this story: Galeta Sandercock, Sazma Sarwar, and Valida Pau