If you’ve been to the main floor of the Holmes Student Center you’ve probably seen the vacant, lonely College Grind cafe. With Starbucks on the ground floor, opening the College Grind cafe would be redundant and there are currently no plans for the space, according to Daniel Koenen, the executive director for Campus Dining Services.

Koenen’s point makes sense. We already have an Einstein Bros. Bagels shop located across from HSC at the Founders Memorial Library and another Starbucks down the road on Lincoln Highway. It’s safe to say NIU students already have plenty of coffee, croissants and bagels to choose from. We need to bring in something new.

What if we had a dorm essentials store located in the student center? Many students live in the residence halls, which would make a dorm essentials store convenient and useful. Students wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of traveling all the way to Target or Walmart (which is about 20 minutes away via the Huskie Bus Line) for dorm items. 

The dorm essentials store could provide blankets, bedsheets, mattress protectors, laundry baskets, desk lamps, wall decor and more. 

As a student who lives on campus, I would love to have a place nearby where I can buy things I need for my room. I would’ve especially loved if this option was available my freshman year. 

Being a new college student can be hard. Most don’t know what to expect or if they have everything they need when they first step foot on campus. 

Adding a dorm essentials store in HSC would not only serve the students living in the residence halls but also those living off-campus. There could be a variety of different items to choose from that you can make use of in your apartment or house. 

Although Jennifer Manning, the executive director of the Holmes Student Center, says they “have not yet been approached by any other parties about using the empty space,” I am still hopeful for a new and improved accommodating space for students.