Store coming to Lodge

Clyde’s convenience store is handling more business than it can take, so Aramark decided to build a new, larger store located in the current game room of College Lodge.

While the store will have many new amenities, the location of the store sparked debate among the students at Aramark’s question and answer session on April 16.

Aramark Director Bill McCulley said that they decided a larger store was needed from student focus groups.

“It would be an easy supply and we would meet demand,” McCulley said. “We can’t keep up with the current space, the storage is very minimal. And the new store will be open late, until 1 a.m.”

Only part of the current first floor College Lodge game room will be torn down, and a new kitchen will be added for all Lodge students to use as well, McCulley said.

The new store will offer more food choices, including organic.

“It will be mostly grab-and-go,” McCulley said. “We will serve hot food, frozen, kosher products, organic, pre-made sandwiches, salads, fruits, yogurt and a coffee bar.”

As for the prices, McCulley said that almost all of the items in the new store will be the same price as in Clyde’s.

The store will be completed in 11 weeks over the summer, and it is being paid for by investment money from Aramark.

Freshman College Lodge resident Stephanie Vogtman is concerned about the use of dining dollars in the new store.

“It would be better if we could use meal equivalency as opposed to dining dollars,” Vogtman said.

McCulley said that student needs are the most important, and they are trying to bring more assortments with the new store.

“We are working with the school to get more all-you-can-eat facilities, but it’s not certain,” McCulley said.

Sophomore College Lodge resident Samantha Geltz is upset that the store will be put in their community room and has started a petition against it.

“I put in a petition and over 50 residents did not want it,” Geltz said. “This room is a community builder for our building. Lodge has the best community because of this room.”

The biggest problem is that the residents were not familiar with the building plans until after they were set in motion, Geltz said.

“Not once did anyone talk to anyone in this building, we had no real say or idea,” Geltz said. “Part of the big griping issue is that we were not informed.”

Isaiah Nelson, SGA vice president-elect, said that next year they will keep the students more informed about issues, like this one, directly affecting them.

“Stuff like this won’t happen again,” Nelson said. “We encourage all students to come to the SGA meeting to find out what is going on.”

Sophomore Stephanie Habersham thinks the store should be open later than 1 a.m., and students should be able to apply and work in it.

“My problem is with the workers at Clyde’s,” Habersham said. “I think students should be able to work there.”

Geltz said that if the store had to be put in College Lodge, she wants students to get the most out of it.

“We want to be able to use our meal plan, carry decently priced products, pleasant employees and keep our windows which give us most of our lighting,” Geltz said.