The Starbucks in LaFortune Hall has competition -- it is no longer the only one in the immediate area for Notre Dame students after a new Starbucks officially opened on Eddy Street on Thursday morning.
Store manager Lindsay Egilmez said it is a place for students to gather and enjoy each other’s company.
“[The store] is for football games, a great place for student to come enjoy and study and for off-campus students and local guests," Egilmez said. "Eddy Street Commons is a great halfway point intersection for all the above.”
The new Starbucks replaced a Romy’s Cafe in the Eddy Street branch of Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore, Jim O’Connor, vice president of sales and operations for Follett Higher Education Group said.
“When the cafe originally opened as Romy's Cafe, the Eddy Street Commons was establishing itself as an off-campus shopping, restaurant and residential supporting the South Bend community and Notre Dame," O'Connor said. "As the development matured and grew, the cafe needed to evolve to meet the consumer expectations of a high quality brand. This would be accomplished with a partnership with Starbucks.”
Egilmez said his mission is to give each costumer a personal one-on-one experience.
“We will serve through great service and quality Starbucks drinks,” Egilmez said. “I want to know each guest and engage with them in a way that makes them feel this is ‘their own’ café.”
Egilmez said he wants to the new Starbucks to cater to Notre Dame students — in fact, Notre Dame faculty, staff and students with a valid ID card will receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases at the new location.
“This is a beautiful, brand new Starbucks with a Notre Dame inspired atmosphere and a very large seating area both indoor and outdoor, which is conducive to everyone, whether they are studying, having a good conversation over a latte or meeting with a professor,” Egilmez said.
Caitlin Kinser, marketing manager of Notre Dame Retail Operations, said the cafe does not offer student discounts, but will find other ways to draw in students.
“We would love to partner with student musicians to provide them with a place to perform,” Kinser said. “We are also looking into partnering with academic departments and professors to bring public academic readings to the cafe.”
Kinser said the cafe will be a full-service Starbucks.
“The full line of drinks, seasonal beverages and foods will be available at the cafe," she said. "All of your Starbucks favorites and future new offerings will be in-store."
Kinser said the cafe is open to hiring student workers.
“Starbucks at Eddy Street has and will continue to accept applications from all interested individuals," she said. "We highly encourage any students who are interested in working at this beautiful new cafe to apply."
