A new name apparently means new high school students working behind the counter. A few days ago, a friend ordered a mocha latte from an eager-eyed boy in a newsboy hat and tie-dyed T-shirt.

“Oh, we don’t serve those anymore,” he said.

“What?” said my friend, incredulous.

“Just kidding!” said the young barista. “I like to say that to scare people!”

Later he serenaded his customers with tunes from his iPod, cranking the song “All Star” up to full blast.“I thought you would like that!” he yelled from the counter to the people doing homework on the other side of the store. “You guys like Smashmouth?”

“Yeah,” a few people cheered weakly. He proceeded to play the rest of the album.

—Sarah Wolf