Many have gawked at the new cafeteria. We all marvel in its aesthetic beauty. Some even
question how necessary the expenditures were. But what ever happened to the old
cafeteria? The old cafeteria currently sits empty in a prime space in the Cintas Center. I
have heard various plans for the old cafeteria, usually in reference to a new workout center. That would
be nice, as any student who frequents the O’Connor Sports Center will tell you, the place is in desperate need of an expansion. But I believe the space would be much better utilized as the main Xavier bookstore. To begin, the vacated space in Cintas Center has great advertising potential, with a plethora of glass windows to showcase Xavier merchandise. The space also has doors accessible to the outside as well as entrance from the inside of the Cintas Center. This dual functionality allows customers to access the bookstore during non-sporting events as well as peak sports games, such as basketball. It also has countertops that could easily be transformed from food serving counters into checkout lanes, and even the kitchen could house class materials. Lastly, I think having the bookstore in Cintas would free up prime space in Gallagher, which has clearly had issues with available space in the past. I think moving the bookstore to the space the cafeteria used to be in would make a lot of sense. Certainly it would make much more sense than a workout facility.