With the rebranding of two cafes in Jefferson Marketplace, located in Jefferson Hall, the number of campus cafes for Ohio University students to shop and mingle in grew this year.
Formerly known as Steeped and Stirred and Ohio Cafe, the two coffee and snack spots are dawning new names. Steeped and Stirred, located in the East Green-facing entrance of Jeff Market, is now named East Side Grounds. Ohio Cafe, located inside the East Union Street entrance of Jeff Market, is now Cornerstone Beverage Bar.
Frank Pazzanese, the executive director of culinary services, led the decision to add East Side Grounds and Cornerstone Beverage Bar to the Campus Cafes at Ohio University. The rebrand was prompted by a lack of sales at Ohio Cafe and Steeped and Stirred, according to Pazzanese.
"What I wanted to do is reintroduce Starbucks to that quadrant of the campus,” Pazzanese said. "We don't really have that, and (Starbucks) seems to be a better seller of all the coffees.”
When discussing the future of Cornerstone Beverage Bar, the culinary team decided two coffee shops in such close proximity to each other would be redundant. Because of this, the decision to broaden the market and add a smoothie and boba bar was made.
“There is food throughout the market,” Drew Banks, the general manager of campus cafes, said. “We wanted to kind of do more of a refreshing thing, bring a lot of color, and add a little pop to it.”
Another goal of the rebranding was to make the market a space for students to gather and hang out, according to Pazzanese. By brightening up the colors and adding more seating, Pazzanese felt the culinary team achieved its objective.
“That is what we were trying to do, add some more places students could go sit and buy a coffee, a bubble tea or a smoothie and just spend some time, if you need to, in an open place with some sunlight coming in, and do you do some school work,” Pazzanese said.
By adding these two new locations to Campus Cafes, Ohio Culinary employees now have the flexibility to work at any of the seven cafes, according to Banks. Employees of all academic classes work at the cafes, and the convenience of many locations gives students the ability to work where it is most convenient for them.
Different locations also adds convenience for students both on and off campus, according to Pazzanese. Before adding East Side Grounds and Cornerstone Beverage Bar, the nearest location for students living on East Green to get coffee and smoothies was South Side Espresso Bar. Now, students living on East Green have two locations to grab a smoothie or Starbucks products.
Lee Bender, a freshman in the major exploration program and living on East Green, appreciates the convenience of the new coffee shop. Now, she can easily stop at East Side Grounds and get an iced coffee.
“I try not to spend too much (money),” said Bender. “Coffee is expensive, but on days that I need to study I for sure will get a coffee. It is convenient that it is in my residence hall.”
Starbucks served on campus is also cheaper than at a Starbucks location because OU does not pay the same fees that Starbucks locations have to pay. Though coffee can be expensive, it becomes more affordable for students when the university removes fees.
“We're what we call a proudly served ‘Starbucks satellite,’” said Pazzanese. “This is much like something you would see in a Barnes and Noble cafe. It's the same concept.”
Pazzanese says the decision to be a “Stabrucks satellite" was a purposeful one to avoid giving up large portions of profit.
According to their displayed menu, prices for food and drink items at East Side Grounds are anywhere between $2.75 and $8.00 without extra ingredients. Prices for Cornerstone Beverage Bar range from $4.95 to $7.25 without add-ons. East Side Grounds is open from 7:30 am to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends, and Cornerstone Beverage Bar is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.
Cornerstone Beverage Bar is hosting Live Pure representatives for a taste-testing event Sept. 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to promote the new location, according to Banks.
