Long lines for snacks and beverages at the Summit Marketplace in the Anderson Student Center caused Dining Services managers to eliminate espresso drinks from the selection.

Dining Services Director Todd Empanger said making the coffee drinks took too long and was creating backups in the marketplace.

“When you start making espressos, it takes time, and then all of a sudden we have a line, and then it takes those people that much longer,” Empanger said. “They either stand in line or they walk out.”

Barb Lundell, supervisor at the Summit Marketplace, explained that business is especially important in the few minutes between classes when students have a limited amount of time to get what they need.

“We do 100 to 150 (students) in an hour,” Lundell said. “Lots of times it’s within the five-minute class change that we’re doing that amount.”

The marketplace is now reserved for “grab-n-go” items, like pop and snacks, similar to a corner store or gas station.

“Summit Marketplace is a convenience store. It wasn’t convenient for people to get out with what they needed during class break,” Empanger said.

The change is also intended to increase traffic to the student center’s third floor coffee shop, The Loft.

Still, some students say that The Loft’s location is too inconvenient. Sophomore Thomas Motz said he tried The Loft’s products but does not drink them on a regular basis.

“It’s just out of the way,” Motz said.

The Loft’s supervisor Bruce Person said it’s more of a destination for students rather than a place to make a quick stop.

“We also get people who come up to the third floor to study too, which I think is probably getting more and more popular,” Person said.

Lundell said Summit Marketplace has seen an increase in business since discontinuing the coffee sales. The store still offers brewed coffees, self-serve coffee machines, instant cappuccino and iced coffee products. The items at both locations are comparable, but The Loft offers more specialty and exclusive products, such as Peace Coffee and bubble teas.

Senior Dan Lewis said he values a coffee shop if it offers good products.

“You can’t ever compromise the quality of the product itself,” Lewis said.

In comparison to other drinks available in the student center, coffee is still one of the top choices, according to Cash Operations Manager Gayle Lamb. She said she has not seen an increase of sales on energy drinks or pop.

“(Students) aren’t drinking a lot of pop; it’s been shifted more toward the Gatorades and the Pure Leaf teas,” Lamb said.

Now, the only shot espresso has is at The Loft.

“Let’s give it a shot and see what it does,” Empanger said.

Lauren Smith can be reached at smit7607@stthomas.edu.