DeKALB | The Cove, a store located in Neptune Central, was closed and replaced by vending machines this semester.

The Cove was a place for students to buy food and other items with their cash or Huskie Bucks; dining dollars were not accepted. In its place are six vending machines selling pop, candy, chips and ice cream, a microwave and a money-exchange machine.

The closure was due to a lack of customer business, said Ralph Chaplin, director of residential dining. He said vending machines

were brought in because there was a much lower labor cost of maintaining them.

“Vending could be available 24 hours a day, seven days per week,” he said. “There is more opportunity for the residents to use them.”

Krista Peterson, a junior nutrition major, said she chose not to go to The Cove when it was open.

“All they sold was junk food,” she said.

Jetawn Smith, a sophomore pre-elementary education major, was not even aware of The Cove’s closing.

“I usually go to The Trident because it accepts dining dollars,” she said.

Some cite the Trident’s existence as a possible reason for The Cove’s lack of business. The Trident is located next to where The Cove was and sells many of the same items The Cove had. It is open to students from all residence halls and they do not have to use their Huskie Bucks to purchase food there.

The Corner, a similar store located in Stevenson, was not closed because it has a larger amount of business, Chaplin said.

Though it is located by the dining hall, it sells items that are not available in the Stevenson dining hall.

The Corner, like The Cove, only accepts Huskie Bucks, but there are no alternative places in Stevenson, like The Trident, to take away business from The Corner.