Students looking to get their fix of caffeine before a long day of studying can now do so without ever leaving the library. On Jan. 23, Stony Brook’s newest Starbucks opened its doors to the public, permanently replacing the old location in the Student Union.
“I think they chose a great location,” Christina Dorf, a sophomore environmental studies major, said. “It’s a lot more convenient than going all the way to the Union.”
Nestled in the back of the Shop Red West store in the basement of Melville Library, a wooden paneled entryway with the green Starbucks logo overhead opens up to reveal a full-service coffee shop.
“The space was chosen to create an exceptional student experience as part of a larger plan for a central hub close to the libraries, with street level access,” Michael West, director of Campus Dining, said. “It offers the convenience of three services for students under one roof: the Amazon Pick-Up location, the Shop Red West store and Starbucks.”
Aside from the location, the most noticeable difference between the old and new stores is the size. Whereas in the Union there was additional seating available one door over in Wolfie’s Lounge, the 2,500 square foot Starbucks in the library only has 65 seats and does not feature a similar alternative to the lounge.
Nicole Sukkarieh, a junior biology major, said that she preferred the old location for this reason, stating that it was “a better meeting space.”
On the other hand, Chris Sutter, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, saw the decrease in seating as an improvement.
“It feels a lot more comfortable,” Sutter said. “At the Union everything felt really cramped.”
The new Starbucks has all the same beverages and other offerings that were available at the Union location, but the hours of operation have been slightly altered. Weekday hours have been extended, with the new store opening at 7:30 a.m. and closing at midnight Monday through Thursday, and 8 p.m. on Fridays. The location is open on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. until 12 a.m.
“Our opening week has definitely been a success,” Julissa Nuñez, the supervisor at Starbucks, said. She claims that the store has been packed with students wanting to check out the new space. “The goal for this store is the same as it’s always been. We want to provide our customers with the best possible service. The students here work so hard, we want to make their lives easier and help them get their caffeine and get through the day.”
