After renovations and state inspections delayed the Beaker’s Coffee Cart’s reopening more than a month, the South Campus location held an open house on Wednesday before its first official day back-to-business Thursday.

Gayle Lamb, Dining Services’ manager of cash operations, said the renovation that began in late July was a perfect chance to enhance the Beaker’s location.

“It gave us an opportunity to revalute the space and to design it properly,” Lamb said.

The Beaker’s renovations include new cabinetry, an expanded refrigerator and translucent covering over the windows that blocks the sun from the customers’ faces. The design will also make the cash register easier to see when the sun is at the lowest point on the horizon.

The coffee shop also has some new treats, including bulk snack items, grilled chicken wraps, Naked juice, trail mix and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Last May, Beaker’s failed a St. Paul Fire Department inspection because it did not have a three-compartment sink, a violation of the code. The health department did not shut down the facility, and instead gave St. Thomas a chance to bring the area up to code.

Beaker’s Supervisor Stephanie Starr-Manley said she thought it was an appropriate time to make the changes.

“Everything was old and dated. It was in need of improvements,” Starr-Manley said. “The cabinetry was kind of falling apart; it didn’t function as well. It was just in need of an update.”

The renovations took longer than anticipated. When the state took over the project, it caused a 30-day delay in getting the permits, in turn causing a setback in plans, approvals and a September reopening.

Senior Joe McCullough was one of the students who really noticed the six-week period without Beaker’s.

“As an engineer major or someone who is just on South Campus a lot, you jump between classes, meetings, projects and sometimes you need to grab a quick bite to eat or a cup of coffee on the go,” McCullough said. “I pretty much live on their chicken wraps and coffee. It’s my lunch or breakfast, and I’m happy it’s back.

Beakers will continue using punch cards and will have double punches for purchasing the featured drink of the day until Nov. 1.

Senior Devin Braatz said the reopening will save him time and hassle between classes.

“I personally love it. I hate having to go to Anderson Student Center and waiting in the long lines. I can come here and get lunch and not have to go back and forth,” Braatz said.

Junior Katie Peterson works at the coffee cart and said she loves that the opening gives her a chance to be around new people.

“It’s great. You get to meet a lot of different students throughout the science building. I’m a communications major, so it connects me with science majors as well as other professors,” she said.

Starr-Manley is happy to be back and foresees having a busy year.

“Business will increase for sure, it was a very busy day – a great opening day,” Starr-Manley said.

Lamb said she is excited to stop hearing about Beaker’s not being open and is excited to have business back on South Campus.

“People are really just going to have to go down there and check it out,” Lamb said. “It’s something to see.”

Johnnay Leenay can be reached at leen1980@stthomas.edu.