This school year, the Fox Den has acquired new sports merchandise, new hires and new fall specials. 

 Assistant Director of Auxiliary Programs Tanya Tilghman describes her work in the Fox Den as overseeing its inventory, finances and staff. She also sources all the products in the Fox Den and is responsible for hiring.

Tilghman shared the names of the Fox Den employees. 

“Their names are Betsy, Jordan, Kat, Katie and Marcus,” Tilghman said. “You may know Katie because she is the coach of volleyball and now the coach of wrestling,” she added.

In addition to merchandise for basketball and soccer, field hockey, football and lacrosse apparel have been ordered and will be in the Fox Den soon. As the soccer season ended, soccer apparel sold the fastest, but all of the merchandise has seen popularity among members of the Sidwell community.

“I own a ton of merch. T-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, winter coats, sweatpants, pajamas, hats, a flag and some sports merch,” freshman Eyob Sisay said.

Sisay added that the Fox Den is the main place he buys Sidwell gear. 

When asked about plans for the Fox Den to carry merchandise from more sports, Tilghman said there is an “open invitation to all athletic teams to send us the link to put in the Den.”

However, sports merchandise is not all that is sold at the Fox Den — treats, pastries and drinks are all popular among the student body.

Sisay said his personal favorites are cinnamon raisin bagels and Oreos.

Tilghman was surprised Sisay named Oreos as a favorite, as many students opt for pastries in lieu of packaged snacks. 

“They love chocolate chip cookies and donuts,” Tilghman said. “Coffee is [also] a big item.” 

Tilghman emphasized how popular lattes and coffees are in the morning, in addition to bagels. 

In the afternoon, however, Gatorade is more popular because of Upper School and Middle School sports, leading to a rush to the Fox Den after school hours.

New seasonal specialties were available from Oct. 11 to Nov. 10. These offers included discounts on apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes and other featured items. Some new items included the popular lavender and chai lattes, available year-round. 

Additionally, the Fox Den sold new holiday specials, including peppermint mochas. On certain days in December, students were able to participate in “12 Days of Fox Den Fun” activities, such as creating an ornament and receiving a 10% discount on a purchase.

The popularity of the Fox Den makes it more than just a store — it is one of the centers of student life at Sidwell. 

“I think it definitely adds to the community spirit on campus,” junior Winta Brhane said.