Photo: Michael Wong

Starbucks is now serving Elizabethtown College. Students can enjoy the sweet taste and smell of delicious coffee brewing as they walk into the Blue Bean Café.

With the new setup and Starbucks menu, the Blue Bean has kept key features, such as the assortment of baked goods, the frequent sipper cards and, of course, offering a variety of hot or iced coffee and tea drinks.

Student workers have commented on the differences in experience they have had with operating a Starbucks on campus.

“A Starbucks rep came in and trained the staff for about three hours. They showed us the steps towards making Starbucks,” Blue Bean barista Sharon Gainer said.

“We had to adapt to their methods, which are different from ours in the use of ingredients that we are used to making the coffee,” Gainer continued.

Business at the Blue Bean is going well, but it is busy. The number of sales on the first day of classes tripled in comparison to years past, causing workers to go through their products much faster than they were anticipating.

The employees there have adjusted to the changes in a short amount of time and work diligently with every order.

The Blue Bean is currently looking for more people to work for them.

In hiring new workers, the cafe hopes to have extended hours and even be open on weekends.

No prior experience is needed to work at the Blue Bean. There will be training sessions provided to those wishing to help out.

Director of Dining Services Eric Turzai gave information on how the decision was made to serve Starbucks in the Blue Bean.

In a survey sent out to gather student opinions on the idea to open a coffee shop in the High Library, students responded, and Starbucks was the most popular out of the outside companies they were considerig serving in the Blue Bean.

“The important thing that we want for people to know is that we are still called the Blue Bean, not Starbucks. We are not a franchise. We just create the products served by Starbucks,” Turzai explained.

The idea for putting the coffee shop in the library has, for the time being, been put on hold due to funding, but it is still a potential addition to the campus.

Senior Kristina Worobey, a worker at the Blue Bean, has expressed her experience dealing with the changes.

“I think it is easier. The products are healthier and people get used to it really quickly,” Worobey stated.

“I am really good at adapting to new changes, but I do feel like it is good to have someone working with you, especially in the beginning because we have a lot of students coming to order from Blue Bean, and we do not want to be overwhelmed or get confused because this is still new for us,” Worobey said.

As students walked around with Starbucks drinks on campus, some reflected on the change compared to the old Blue Bean.

“I miss the old Blue Bean. It felt more Etown, but I will say that the quality of the drinks is better, and it is more convenient having [Starbucks] on campus,” junior Lacie Flores said.

“Everyone who works at Blue Bean is doing a great job and I really enjoy the drinks. I do miss some of the signature drinks the Blue Bean had before, and the only down-side is it is more expensive,” junior Kory Trout said.

“I like the changes to Blue Bean a lot because I do not have to go off campus to feed my love of coffee,” senior Anastasia Tamborrino said.

Junior Joe Santos and senior Olivia Lee shared similar feelings towards Starbucks, summarizing the change as a good improvement to the campus.

Stop by the Blue Bean to enjoy the new setup, the wonderful service and the tasty drink options offered.