The British are coming.
The University approved Aramark Food Services’ plan to replace the Moody Library’s Grab-n-Go with a full-service coffee shop through its partnership with British-owned and operated Java City.
Peter Huber, director of dining services, said construction for the Java City coffee shop is scheduled to commence at the end of this spring semester and finish by the 2010 fall semester.
Ann Noble, director of Moody Library, said the construction dates would work out well for the library.
“That is normally our slowest time of year, so that would be the best time to do it,” Noble said.
Construction will include installing new sinks, an espresso machine, a brewing system, commercial blenders and possibly changing out the wooden walls and front doors to glass.
Sandy Mooney, vice president of financial operations, said the plans are in the preconstruction phase with architects still working on final plans for the space.
Students can expect the space to look more like a coffee house and less like the storage space it once was. New floors, tables, chairs and lighting will be brought in to achieve the new ambiance.
“It will have more of a relaxed feel,” Huber said. “It will be a place where students want to come to hang out rather than just go out of necessity.”
Huber also said he would like to engage more students to frequent the new facility by possibly displaying student artwork in the space and possibly adding a small stage area for music students to perform.
“Aramark’s mission statement talks about helping campuses thrive,” Huber said. “This fits perfectly with that.”
Noble said she has concerns about the stage feature because it would increase the noise level in the library. She said the library has already experienced an increase in noise level since the addition of the Grab-n-Go.
“I personally don’t mind the additional noise from the Grab-n-Go but I don’t think students are pleased with the noise that comes from the lobby outside of the Grab-n-Go.” Noble said. “Noise from that area echoes throughout most of the library.”
Since the Grab-n-Go opened, the lobby area outside of it has become a meeting place for students.
When Hurricane Ike damaged the M.D. Anderson Student Center in 2008, it took away a central meeting place for students and one of the University’s on-campus coffee shop options.
Mooney said she is aware that people are studying and doing research in the library, which may limit some aspects of the coffee shop but she emphasized the need for a place for people to socialize.
Huber said he hopes the addition of the Java City coffee shop will help the students regain a central meeting place, become more connected with the University and socialize with students they would not normally see outside of the classroom.
Noble said that the library will continue to benefit from facilitating a gathering place for students.
“I have heard students from this University and other universities say that they have gone through years of college and not gone into the library once,” Noble said. “People are learning what we have now.”
Mooney said there is a desire to make the space a little larger than it is now but any additions will be subject to city codes.
Other familiar aspects of the Grab-n-Go will have to change to accommodate a larger number of students. Cold cases for microwave meals and snack racks for other convenience items will be removed to make way for more tables and chairs.
Aramark will retain as many of the traditional Grab-n-Go products as it can but must comply with Java City’s guidelines for food service. For example, all currently served Starbucks products will be switched to the Java City brand.
Java City is used at almost all other campuses served by Aramark partially because its fair-trade products and sustainability efforts set it apart.
Huber said even the most dedicated Starbucks fan will not find much of a difference in taste between the products.
Java City’s menu will include specialty coffee, espresso beverages, ice blended beverages, real fruit smoothies and tea. It will also serve pastries, sandwiches, salads and soups. Seasonal drinks will be featured each month and membership benefits will be used to attract costumers. The coffee house atmosphere is expected to convince those costumers to stay.
“We want it to be more of a gathering place for students not just somewhere to run in, grab something and leave,” Mooney said.
Mooney added that she was very excited about the addition of the coffee shop because it will give students another place to hang out.
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