Hive Launch Delayed
Student Run Café Expected to Open in Summer or Fall
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The Concordia Student Union’s plans to open a student run café at Loyola’s The Hive this month have encountered a few minor obstacles, delaying the project’s opening until later this year.
The space is currently undergoing an aesthetic facelift, which is the primary reason for pushing back the café’s opening date. The CSU has recruited a class of Concordia design students to develop the interior look and feel of the café.
“I’ve delayed it to give the students more time to decide what they want the space to look like,” said Hassan Abdullahi, CSU’s VP Loyola and Advocacy. The students are working on everything, from furniture and lighting to choosing the colour of the walls.
A second factor causing the delay is a fairly substantial technicality—the building’s electricity is maxed out. Abdullahi says that a solution for this issue is currently in the works.
All of the construction required to make the café functional is expected to be complete by the end of April. A final decision on whether it will open for the summer semester, or hold off until the fall, has not been reached.
The CSU is hoping to make the café widely accessible.
“Students at the Loyola Campus have a variety of eating habits that differ extremely, so we are trying to meet the demand as much as possible,” said Abdullahi. “We’ve actually even looked into meeting the dietary habits of both Muslims and Jews.”
The CSU is also working to incorporate educational aspects into the café. In addition to working with design students, the CSU hopes to work with co-op students at the John Molson School of Business to provide them with hands-on management experience.
Meanwhile, the recently revamped and reopened Loyola Luncheon is picking up, despite a slow start. Abdullahi suspects that an initial lack of marketing caused the project’s low turnout in the early stages of reopening.
Abdullahi said that on its busiest days the luncheon now feeds up to 150 people—joking that they’ve occasionally had to use Frisbees as plates due to a large turnout.
“A lot of money went into that kitchen and people were expecting a lot from it,” said Abdullahi. “I think we’ve reached our expectation because the students are happy and lots of them are using the service. It was definitely worth the investment.”
Biochemistry student Iradele Plante eats at the luncheon every Monday to Thursday and is thrilled with the opportunity to have a free meal at school.
When asked about the CSU’s prospective café, Plante said she will absolutely be a customer. “I think we definitely need more food options at Loyola, and what I really want is a place where I can sit for hours, study and eat at the same time.”
The Loyola Luncheon is open every Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Hive. Service of free vegetarian meals begins at 12:30 p.m. When it opens, the café is tentatively set to be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
This article originally appeared in Volume 31, Issue 21, published February 1, 2011.
