Benson Receives Minor Facelift

Cellar Market, Mission Bakery juvenated

Erin FoxTHE SANTA CLARASeptember 22, 2016While many students were away this summer, subtle changes were made to one of the most popular spots on campus Benson Memorial Center. According to university staff, the changes were made to due to the influx of students now attending Santa Clara.“We’re adding students here (at Santa Clara) and we know we need to expand and renovate dining,” said Jane Barran- tes, assistant vice president of Auxiliary Services. “There’ll be a lot going on (in) the next couple of years.”The most notable changes made were renovations to the Cellar. A new floor was installed and all walls were repainted a lighter shade of green.Though understated, these changes were well-received by Benson staff.“I like the color of the floor and I really like the color of the walls,” said Cecilia Carrasco, a well-known Cellar employee. “It’s a good change.”Small rearrangements were also made throughout the store and certain products sold in the Cellar are now stocked in different locations.“We rearranged the way the store flows a little bit by grouping products together,” said Rich Mitosich, assistant general manager of Dining Services. Mitosich added that the new layout makes the customer’s journey through the Cellar “very effective.”Despite these changes, Carrasco noted that “most of the things are in the same place.” A more drastic change made to Ben- son was the rearrangement of furniture in the Mission Bakery seating area. Tables, chairs and cabinets are now placed further away from the coffee station and are more spread out. According to Barrantes, this was done to make products in the display cases more visible to customers. She also added that it makes the seating area more visibly appealing.“We wanted to create a more comfortable place to sit and pass through,” said Charles Lewis, general manager of Dining Services. “Open it up so it’s more friendly.”The infamous Benson Memorial Center piano has also moved from the Swig side of Mission Bakery to the library side.“I love the new setup of the furniture around Mission Bakery. The piano’s new placement has proven a little more difficult,” said student ambassador and sophomore Eoin Lyons. “While at a central location, which makes it easier to hear and beneficial to those who know how to play piano, the close proximity to the information desk has at times made it difficult to hear questions or phone calls.”In downstairs Benson, the campus post office temporarily expanded into the space that used to house the Residence Learning Community Association (RLCA). The space is now being used for overflow packages.“We’ve been asking for that room tempo- rarely or permanently for a couple years now,” said Ed Merryman, director of University Support Services.According to Merryman, the overflow room is crucial for the first few weeks of school, as the package volume for the first 30 days of September has increased by 37 percent.In the dining area, several minor changes have been made to The Marketplace, with focus on the Sauté and Farmer’s Pantry sections. One notable change is that the Farmer’s Pantry now has a corner designated for gluten-free bread only.“Our food program means a lot to us, the university and the students,” Lewis said. “We’re always looking to change for the better.”