Since the Starbucks in the Don Taft University Center started a 24/7 three weeks ago, more than 40 students ordered coffee and studied during late hours every night.
William Faulkner, associate dean of Student Affairs, said that during PAN-SGA’s meeting last month, Starbucks’ analysis of the new schedule revealed that it is going well.
Starbucks was open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Robert Genser, Chartwells resident district manager, said, “Between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. we get about 30 or 40 people. We’re doing some good business between 10 p.m. and midnight. So the store is doing pretty well. After midnight, it’s very, very quiet, and after the people that come in from two to four, we literally have one or two customers an hour.”
Brad Williams, Ed.D., dean of Student Affairs, said the initiative will only continue if it is profitable for Starbucks.
“It’s not really driven by the number of students,” he said. “ If there are 100 students there but no one buys a cup of coffee, then we will not keep it open.”
However, Williams said that if not enough students patronize Starbucks, there is a possibility to keep the study space open 24/7.
Genser said he hopes that the numbers increase. He also said higher numbers will come as the news spreads across campus and finals start.
“It’s a huge campus, and sometimes communicating things takes time,” he said.
Minerva Rodriguez, sophomore business administration major, said that she did not know Starbucks was open 24/7 but would take advantage of the hours now that she knows.
Others have taken advantage of the new schedule.
Debaro Huyler, second-year graduate student of College Student Affairs, said he went once at 1 a.m. and another time at 4 a.m. and thinks they should keep the new schedule.
“It is really cool, especially being in Davie because you don’t have a lot of options, I think, after a certain time — which is really weird, especially for a college environment,” he said. “You can’t find something to eat after 9 o’clock on a Sunday.”
Faulkner said Williams, Frank DePiano, Ph.D., vice president of Academic Affairs, Ray Ferrero Jr., NSU chancellor, and George L. Hanbury II, NSU president, will make the final decision on
Starbuck’s schedule.
