Starbucks hopes to provide students with a larger place to study on campus

Starbucks and college campuses fit together as seamlessly as peanut butter and jelly. It was only a matter of time before Azusa Pacific got its own Starbucks on campus. The announcement of a new Starbucks on East Campus came over the summer with construction beginning shortly thereafter.

The construction affected four groups or establishments on campus. The Den was remodeled in the old space of the Student Government Association (SGA) office. The office next to it, which hosted The Clause, now known as Zu Media, has also been torn down and relocated to West Campus.

When construction is finished, Cornerstone Coffeehouse will be closed and essentially change into Starbucks in the former Clause office. It will sit between the Den and Paws N Go.

“Cornerstone right now is serving Starbucks coffee. So the idea was once Starbucks is open, Cornerstone would close,” said Daniela Spinozzi-Nossa, the Design and Construction Director of Facilities Management.

The part of Marshburn Library that Cornerstone Coffeehouse currently sits in will be turned into the new SGA office.

“We tried to get in as soon as we could during the summer,” Spinozzi-Nossa said. “A lot was dependent on the city. The city has a lot going on right now and they are understaffed, so they are outsourcing all their planning checking so that kind of delays things.”

According to Spinozzi-Nossa, construction for the new Starbucks may be done before Christmas break, but it might not be ready until sometime next semester.

“We hope not. Again, we are still waiting on city and we are waiting on Starbucks for their part,” Spinozzi-Nossa said. “Once we have the shell done and the shell is ready to go, we just need the city and health department permits in order to be able to continue the process and Starbucks needs to do their part of the design.”

Spinozza-Nossa said that Dining Services is funding the building process. Edward Stinchcomb, the director of Dining Services, said that the new East Campus Starbucks will accept dining points. And according to Spinozza-Nossa, the new Starbucks will operate almost exactly like Cornerstone did. The university will run it with student workers.

Spinozzi-Nossa said Facilities Management is optimistic but they are still waiting for a clear answer and permits from the city.

Hannah DuBois is a freshman nursing major who currently works at Cornerstone.

“I think it’s a good idea. I think it’s going to be bigger, nicer and closer to the Den. It will be more convenient,” DuBois said.

Some students are excited and pleased with the new placement of Starbucks on East Campus. One of these students is Kelsey Lorensen, a sophomore acting major.

“Personally, I think it’s probably a better placement overall,” Lorensen said. “It’s so much closer to all the living areas. I feel like it will be more convenient in the long haul.”

Lorensen is happy about the change and can’t wait to see the new, bigger Starbucks on East Campus.

“The one in the library, that’s way too crowded,” Lorensen said. “There’s not enough seats. I appreciate that they are changing it up.”

The coffee will be the same for the most part; the students flocking to the coffee shop will be the same, but now the convenience of location and the newer, bigger design will help students on East Campus. Starbucks will supply food, coffee and tea to APU students during their academic semesters.