With Starbucks, It's Better Latté Than Never

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Photo by JC

By Michelle Trauring

After months of proposed design plans and growing anticipation, Starbucks Coffee will open on the second floor of the Student Union in March, said Lisa Ospitale, director of marketing and communications for Campus Dining Services.

Construction began right after break, Ospitale said, once Starbucks chose C&M Construction to handle the project.

“Stony Brook had nothing to do with deciding on a company to work with,” Ospitale said. “The contractors would submit their bids to Starbucks. Starbucks looked them over, and then reported to us,” she said.

But the timing between selecting a bid and initiating construction was off. After deciding on a plan, which is “what initially took so long,” Ospitale said, Starbucks halted construction. “Technically, the university isn’t allowed to do construction near classrooms during school hours – especially noisy construction,” Ospitale said. This applied to electrical work as well. “We couldn’t just cut the electricity in the building while there were classes going on,” she said.

Major components of the construction were completed during winter session, Opsitale said. While there are still wires hanging from the ceilings, the crew is now painting and beginning to install the flooring.

The 5,000 square foot space will house a coffee bar against the far wall, Ospitale said. There will be two semi-circles of bar seats across from one another in the middle of the store and couches throughout, totaling 75 seats. “We’ve been waiting for Starbucks for such a long time. If we’re going to do it, we want to do it right," she said.

Students are excited the coffee franchise is opening soon. "I never thought it'd actually come," said Vickie Latella, a sophomore.

The store’s hours will work in conjunction with the next-door restaurant Wolfie’s. The two will not interfere with one another. “There will be people drinking their coffee in Starbucks who don’t want to look through a glass window and then see someone munching on their burger in Wolfie’s,” Ospitale said. “It’s not good for the atmosphere.”

Ospitale said she thinks Starbucks will have a positive impact on the flow of traffic at Wolfie's. "I think they will complement each other and bring more people to both," she said.

Starbucks is looking to create an environment where students can come in and have study groups or just relax, Ospitale said.

Sophomore Aharon Benelyahoo said he plans to hang out or do work there. "The Starbucks atmosphere is good for that," he said.

At the same time, Benelyahoo said he was dissatisfied with the location.

"It doesn't really work," he said."For most students, it seems out of the way because most of their classes are on the other side of campus."

Ospitale said, “We decided on this location because all of the plumbing was done – everything existed and was already all set. It’s either off campus or up the stairs. People who want it are going to walk that."

Latella said she didn't think the location was a problem. "I'd make the walk - it's better coffee!" she said.

Stony Brook University expects success, Ospitale said. “Once it opens, it’s going to be very cool. We’re anticipating it to be very popular."