Harriman Cafe is open.
The cafe, which has been running for 20 years, opened its doors a month after classes began because of a mix-up in management, according to cafe workers.
“We opened on October 6, 2008 and we are under new management,” said David Huynh, a biology major, who works at the cafe. Since Harriman’s opening, the eating area has a fresh coat of paint and sells new items including Stony Brook University merchandise, and old favorites like Green Mountain Coffee.
The Faculty Student Association (FSA) now runs the cafe. Angela Agnello, the director of marketing and communications for FSA, explained that the business school previously used the cafe as a learning lab.
With the changing of the business school curriculum, FSA was asked to take over for the business school. This allows students to work on projects with the association, instead of focusing only on food service operations.
Marisa Facini, a business major who works at the cafe, explained that since she was studying business and was always in Harriman Hall, it made sense for her to get a job at the cafe.
Along with Facini, there are nine FSA student employees that work at the cafe, and a few additional students who assist when needed. “Some of these student employees were transferred from the Seawolves MarketPlace; some students were hired specifically to work at Harriman Cafe,” said Agnello.
“I’ve been working in the Seawolves MarketPlace for some time, so they transferred me and some people here,”said Huynh. The Seawolves MarketPlace is also run by FSA.
Before the cafe could open, renovations first had to be made.
“We were suppose to open mid-September but they had to replace the cooler and paint all the walls,” he said. FSA had renovated the cafe along with the participation of the Dean of the School of Business. According to Agnello, it took time for the cafe’s inventory tracking system and transfer of a health permit to be finalized so it could open under the new management.
The cafe is open Monday through Friday, and sells coffee, pastries, snacks and some Stony Brook souvenirs similar to the Seawolves MarketPlace. Like the MarketPlace, the cafe does not accept meal plans because it is only run by FSA and is not associated with Chartwells, the dining provider for campus dining service, or Spice, the dining provider for Jasmine in the Wang Center.
The Cafe only accepts cash, credit, debit or bookstore accounts.
“I like coming here, I like the people here, I am always around here anyway,” said Alycia LaGuardia, a music major, about the cafe.
Yet, some students are not thrilled with Harriman’s new look. “I wish they weren’t selling clothes,” said Whitney Howell, a graduate student. “I liked how it was just a cafe like last year,” she said.
