Corrections appended.
Jefferson Market reopened Wednesday after months of construction, giving students on East Green a closer option to pick up groceries.
Construction on the new market, which cost $8.8 million and was part of a $40 million renovation plan for Jefferson Hall, started May 2016.
Mark Brunton, the assistant director of Auxiliary Marketing Communications, said the main aim of the new market is fresh, local and global with more international foods available, as well as a bulk foods section. The marketplace will be convenient for many who live off-campus due to its location near apartments and houses, he said.
“(My favorite part) is the variety," Carly Cambert, a sophomore studying early childhood education, said. "I think the old Jeff … kind of reminds (me) of a gas station. It was really small, and you couldn’t find it very easily. This is a lot more open, a lot more variety, a lot more options.”
Cambert said she’s excited about the new market because it's near McCracken Hall, where she has classes. Cambert, who lives in The Convo, said Jefferson Market will now prevent her from having to walk across campus before she’s “ready to go home.”
Ohio Cafe, which is positioned near the entrance to the marketplace for a grab-and-go setup, will serve coffee and some lattes provided by Peet’s Coffee in order to “mix up the coffee provider,” Brunton said.
He also said The Brick City Deli, a section of the market that will serve sandwiches, will allow students to make customized orders electronically.
Brooke Gindlesberger, a freshman studying nursing, said she goes to Nelson every weekend to use her Flex meal swipes, but she will likely start going to Jefferson Market due to its healthier options.
“(I’ll come) probably more often," she said. "I enjoy the deli and especially the juice bar. I really like (this market); it’s very modern.”
Brunton said he hoped Steeped and Stirred, a section of the market that will serve tea, would be a “relaxing study lounge.”
“The view from the window will be a pleasant view once the construction finishes, and students are no longer looking at tarps, dirt and equipment,” Brunton said.
Nathan Law, a sophomore studying chemistry, said until now he didn’t go to campus markets often. Law, who lives in Shively Hall, said he went to Nelson before Jefferson Market opened.
“(I’ll come to Jefferson Market) a lot more often, especially since I’m going to have an apartment across the street next year,” Law said.
Current hours for Jefferson Marketplace are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the cost and hours of the new market. The article has been updated to include the most accurate information.
