So it's 8 p.m., the D.C.'s are closed, delivery takes forever and a day to arrive, and your stomach is growling like a horny pit-bull. What do you do my friend... what do you do? Worry not, your salvation lies a short walk away and can be found within easy reach of your living area.
Student businesses have been around for ages, and it's high time they were given the coverage they deserve. Evening hours and affordable prices are just some of the ways your fellow classmates keep food in your stomach and money in your pockets. These co-op businesses are run by students, for students, and the responsibility of running your own business is every bit as cool as working with people you love.
GreenO, Central's major student run co-op, is a funky blend of everything college. Upon entering the building, I was greeted with the eclectic music stylings of Phish. The most striking painting, on one of the walls that are hand-decorated, is a sunset with incredible depth of color. Students walk about, every person tending to their own specific chore all the while creating an almost choreographed dance.
As for the labor aspect, the tension commonly found in a restaurant kitchen was hugely lacking. Smiles and laughter were instead prevalent, along with the occasional shout-out to alert students of their finished orders.
"It's fun working here," said second semester student, Bethanny. "You get to work with kids you like, and you're responsible for yourself. It's great that we can pull all this together. Minimizing waste and buying local goods, are some of the ways we try to be a responsible business."
The lack of an adult supervisor doesn't seem to bother anyone. Paul D. has also been working for his second semester. "My favorite part of being here is the democratic nature of the shop. It's good work experience too." He added, "If you haven't been here, you should check us out!"
With seating for more than two-dozen students, freshly baked desserts and made-to-order grinders, GreenO is no stranger to massive amounts of business. Rush hours begin around 6:30 p.m. and run until about 8 p.m. Much of the business rushes are dependent upon television programming for that night. An extra long episode of "Buffy" can delay the lines of people for longer periods of time.
Sandwich selections run the gamut from sprouts to steak, and the variety is endless. Student suggestions are highly recommended, and some of their most popular subs are posted vertically on one of the room's columns. The hugely famous Funk Monster was my choice of sub for the evening. According to the staff it's one of the more commonly ordered hoagies the shop offers.
The ten-inch grinder arrived on a super-fluffy and pillow-soft grinder bread. I was able to consume every bite and not suffer from the hideous clicking sound my jaw tends to make due to over-chewing. It was served with what appeared to be about six to eight ounces of breaded, white meat chicken.
Toppings were simple but well paired. Grilled mushrooms and tomatoes provided interesting flavor and a chewy mouthful. Mayo is the original condiment, but special orders are accepted. The best part was the lack of lettuce. If salad is what you want, order it separately because the hot chicken and fixings would only wilt the greens and make them both watery and slimy. One final coup de grace of the sandwich was the Munster cheese melted on top of the chicken. The mild-flavored cheese is beyond the traditional cheese selections of cheddar or American and has a stretch factor that resembles mozzarella after heating.
My only regret that evening was my own inability to sample more items from the menu - which, by the way, is being revamped and extended. So if you want some awesome dinner plans this evening, here's a game plan: hot sub, soft couch, your rump, and "Friends" (either your television friends or the ones in your real life).
One hallway and a flight of stairs away from my room, is all that separates me from a plethora of ice cream sundaes and pizza bagels. It's Sweets & More. Such temptation was one of the most thrilling experiences when I was a freshman; the unbelievable excitement has since worn off, but the ice cream stand remains and thrives.
A more laid back atmosphere dominates this particular student business. The haunting melody of an unidentified CD hangs in the room like a veil. Soft lighting bounces off the red walls and enhances the artistic feeling of the eating area. Everything about this business fosters a sense of creativity. Monthly special events have included an open mic night, which encourages students to share their talents - whether they are poetic or musical - in front of their peers.
In the few hours before the opening of Sweets, the most incredible smell of brownies and cookies invade your nasal cavity and inhabit your olfactory glands. Brownie and cookie sundaes are two of the most popular items, however it is the milkshake that's the king of this cold and creamy jungle. In the forty minutes I was down at the shop, several requests were made for the chilly beverages.
The most striking feature on the menu, however, is the price range. The cheapest and healthiest items are apple wedges with your choice of caramel, cinnamon sugar, or peanut butter for 75 cents and coffee at 50 cents a cup. No one item will cost you more than a finsky, a ring that is the most expensive item at four dollars a pop.
"One of our goals here is to keep things affordable for the students, we've had to raise and lower prices over the years, but we always keep the student budget in mind," said Chris, a fourth semester worker.
Busy hours are later here and 9 and 10 p.m. are peak hours for business, although they too vary depending on the nighttime television line-up. Seating for a baker's dozen is located within the shop, and table/chair combos are located outside the shop in the dorm lobby.
Snow's Ice Cream is the family owned local business, which supplies Sweet's with their homemade, famous frozen selections. The establishment is run out of Greenfield and is also the maker of the well-known Bart's ice cream. As a side note, the cream content of the ice cream (although an exact percent couldn't be located) must be pretty high, due to its smooth, thick texture.
This season's work has been increasingly profitable for the business. "We're saving up for big capitol purchases to better the business, things like refrigerators and ice cream freezers," the sixth semester worker, Addie told me.
Seven people work on the staff to date. The eighth person involved is a consultant who keeps track of money matters such as income statements and funds for purchasing items. These consultants are student business leaders who are mostly from the Isenberg School of Management.
One of the most amazing sights is out of view from the patrons. Murphy and Morrison, two former workers were reportedly part of the motion to turn the businesses away from managerial operation and into the co-ops we have today. In tribute, their aprons hang encased behind glass on the walls of the kitchen area.
Flavors vary over the course of the semester; Bing Cherry Jubilee, for example, is this week's wacky flavor. Standbys like chocolate and vanilla are kept year round for those who desire more traditional sundaes. My selection that night was the aforementioned Bing Jubilee and I was not disappointed. Generous amounts of fresh cherries were buried in the cool depths of the ice cream, and the cherry flavored base wasn't overpowering.
In the end, I was amazed not only at the level of satisfaction these students received while at work, but also at the quality of service and food they provided. It's a rare thing but awesome thing to see people psyched about doing their jobs, and these students deserve piles of support for sticking together whenever major problems pose a threat to their business.
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