Following the decision to open a new coffee house at Memorial Union, some students are questioning whether the available space should be used for student organizations instead.
Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, said he had not been informed Memorial Union planned to open a new coffee shop.
I was surprised,"" Judge said of learning about the shop. ""I wish there had been more student involvement in the process.""
Judge said he was unsure whether a coffee shop was the best choice for the space, referring to the numerous locations in the Union that currently sell coffee.
The Daily Scoop, which is located next to the planned Peet's, will stop serving coffee once the shop opens.
""Before we started the process I was adamantly opposed [to opening a shop],"" said Amanda Green, a student member of Union Council, the governing body of the Wisconsin Unions.
She said the Union prides itself on offering its own food service, rather than national brands. However, Peet's supports the quality of the Union with fair trade coffee and has allowed the Union Council to design the shop and brand products.
""The Daily Scoop is sub-par,"" Green said. ""All the research indicated that students did want a coffee shop and that it would be a good thing to have.""
Marc Kennedy, the communications director of the Wisconsin Unions, said Peet's would accept student Wiscards and create a nice ambience for visitors.
""When you walk into a Peet's store, the smell of the coffee's there - it's just a feeling of you know where you are,"" Kennedy said.
According to Green, Union Council originally planned to turn the Daily Scoop into a coffee house until the space on the Union's first floor opened.
""We understand full and well that the campus is in a space crisis,"" Green said. ""That's why the Union just converted its games room for student organization space.""
Green said the renovation of Union South and the new Student Activities Center in University Square should provide enough space for student organizations.
""The Union has been revamping our food service. The coffee shop is just one of the steps in that process,"" Green said.
Green said the Unions welcome student comments and should inform Union Council if needs are not met.
