By Ashley Fagerlie, CUB
PULLMAN, Wash. – A new market opening this fall in the CUB will offer late night coffee and snacks as well as made-to-order foods. Union Marketplace will be open seven days a week 10:30 a.m.-midnight.
“I think the students will find the accessibility most appealing,” said Dining Services Director Gary Coyle.
Union Marketing Services surveyed students last spring, asking what type of vendor they would like in the CUB, and 45 percent answered with convenience store.
“After we saw an overwhelming desire for this type of vendor, we did some more research and found that there was a need for late night coffee and snacks,” said Ashley Fagerlie, assistant director of Union Marketing Services at the CUB. “We were able to partner with Dining Services to make this happen.”
The store, named Union Marketplace in reference to the student union, will provide an individualized array of products for students. Students can ask for specific items in the Compton Union Vendor Satisfaction Survey, which has been sent by email and closes April 29.
“Our biggest customer is students, so we want to hear what they have to say,” Fagerlie said. “The benefit of working with Dining Services is that we are able to customize the product selection.”
Union Marketplace will have state-of-the-art serving wells. Coyle said these will let him switch from hot to cold items in a matter of minutes.
“If a student walks up and says, ‘Hey we would love to see a banana split bar,’ well guess what. We can make that switch from gyros to banana splits very easily,” Coyle said.
The store will sell typical convenience store items in addition to espresso, salads and made-to-order foods. It will sell vegetarian items, including a Greek salad and vegetarian gyro. It also will sell healthy options such as sushi, fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits.