by Danielle Kinnen | Mar 11, 2015 | News Slider
After six months of construction, students are able to see major development of the Au Bon Pain cafe located in the Student Activities Center. This healthy sandwich and pastries shop was first set to open in fall 2014, but due to changed plans and measures required by the Metro Codes Department, the opening date was delayed to spring 2015. Walls and lighting fixtures have been put into place in addition to a new door that will lead to an outdoor patio. With changes being made rapidly, Au Bon Pain could open its doors to students after spring break. “The most important part of our service is that we hope to satisfy the needs of all the students, and we are excited to get Au Bon Pain up and running,” said Elizabeth Coburn, VP International Franchise Operator for Au Bon Pain. An employee in the SAC, junior Melissa Kromer, said that despite the setbacks most students are looking forward to seeing the completed space. “Everyone is excited to see what the new cafe will have to offer,” Kromer said. “Since the area used to be used mainly as an additional work out space, students have been eager at the time that has been spent constructing this building.” For the health-conscious gym-goers and the occasional night class student, Coburn said that the restaurant’s food will be satisfactory for everyone. “Since it is in the SAC we will have lots of food to choose from,” Coburn said. “We will have healthy options and other options. There will be ready made sandwiches but also sandwiches and salads that the students will be able create from scratch.” Along with sandwiches and...
by Erin Turner | Nov 6, 2014 | News Slider
The completion of Au Bon Pain has been put on hold while measures required by the Metro Codes Department are put into place. Director of Campus Plant and Retail Operations Jeff Wilson said that the original goal was to complete construction by mid-semester this fall. “We’ve hit delays there [the future location of Au Bon Pain] because of getting plans through metro codes and so we’re still anticipating an early spring opening, hopefully by mid-January,” Wilson said. The delays may have put construction behind, but they have not been a major interruption to the SAC. “There’s been a little more dust and debris than we would like in the ideal situation, but we feel like overall, the SAC is able to run just fine.” In the meantime, plans are being made for Common Grounds, located on the third floor of Ezell. “We’re still trying to figure out what exactly we will be doing with common grounds, but it looks like we will simple close that and move that business and those items to the Au Bon Pain store there in the SAC.” Au Bon Pain will provide coffee, sandwiches and pastries, much like Common Grounds and ZeBi Bistro do, but the menu will be more extensive. ZeBi Bistro may be potential competition for the new café, but the location is what will make the difference. “I think it could compete with ZeBi some, but the really unique thing about where Au Bon Pain is located is that we will not only have the SAC traffic coming in and out of there, but that’s going to be a really key,...
