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Between the closure of Einstein Bagels and the opening of Seekers in the student center, the area formerly known as Beakers has faced significant competition, ultimately leading to its closure this past semester. Although the food area is empty, the tables remain available for students to use as study space.
“We wanted to keep that space open while we’re in transition, because it's a beautiful space with the windows, and we want to [have it ungated] and make sure students could use it for studying,” said Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Dory Kempf.
The seating area at Beakers is still open, even though the food area is closed.
One clear reason for Beaker's closure is its on-campus location relative to other food options. In Tower Hall, The Pod and Seekers are adjacent to larger, more convenient seating and study areas. While the Benedictine Commons are located next to the Beakers space, the seating there can be unpredictable. The Pod and Seekers also offer a wider variety of meal options and larger food-prep and kitchen areas, enabling them to serve both hot and cold items.
Seekers has quickly become one of the most popular dining options on campus simply because it's new. You can order unique items for Seekers, such as gelato and paninis, as well as hot menu items like chicken strips, after the Pod closes for the day. Seekers has been so successful because it offers unique items that you can’t get anywhere else on campus. Simply put, the CSS community was much more excited about Seekers, and the consistent foot traffic through the student center makes it a more popular and convenient dining location.
While there is no set plan for the Science food area at this time, discussions with community input are expected to take place soon.
“When that conversation comes,” says Kempf, “we would involve students and community members to determine what would be best for the college moving forward.”
The food area of Beakers remains empty after its closure. It is not being used for anything at this time.
By: Merete Nelson
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