NEWS
Library Mall to add Subway, coffee shop
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Also by Lynn Heidmann:
- Library Mall to add Subway, coffee shop (March 21, 2007)
- Ticket dispute ends in lottery (May 3, 2007)
- UW vet student earns book treat (March 9, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Remodeling of Pres House passes (October 12, 2005)
- Presbyterian Church plans to build structure on campus (May 3, 2005)
- Faith-based dorm for UW (October 19, 2006)
- Wisconsin Lutheran Center renovation complete (February 24, 2006)
- State Street meal plan (May 8, 2003)
by Lynn Heidmann
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
University of Wisconsin students will have even more dining options on State Street come August when a new Subway restaurant and Bean Boulevard Café are added under the Presbyterian Student Center.
Mark Elsdon, executive director and co-pastor at the Pres House, announced the restaurant choices Tuesday and said the space — including both Subway and the Café — would be able to seat about 50 people in total.
The new space, located at 731 State St., just off Library Mall, will feature an outdoor patio, as well.
The biggest factor in choosing the commercial tenants, Elsdon said, was providing an environment that would be alcohol-free for students.
Even so, the Pres House received notice from a variety of venues interested in the space, though he said almost all wanted to serve alcohol.
"The overriding factor in our decision was wanting some restaurant that wouldn't serve alcohol," Elsdon added.
And since both establishments will be located below the new Pres House apartment complex, Elsdon said it is possible there could be a deal between the restaurant owners and residents for either a discount or some type of meal card.
However, he added that decision depends on the relationship between the Pres House and restaurant owners, who have yet to work any details out.
Both of the restaurants are locally owned, and Subway franchisee Vimal Patel said he also owns the Subway on the 400 block of State Street. However, he said there are no plans to replace the Subway on the 400 block, especially since the restaurant under the Pres House will feature more menu items.
Patel said the new Subway would be open longer, and feature a breakfast menu with wraps and egg sandwiches.
"It will be two separate counters … so when you walk in, there's going to be two separate lines for each (restaurant)," Patel said. "We're doing wireless Internet, so it's going to be like a café."
Bean Boulevard Café will offer coffee drinks, espresso and pastries.
UW sophomore Kerry Wall said even though there is already a Subway on State Street — as well as another further down University Avenue — it would be a good, central location for another restaurant.
"I don't mind that it's another Subway that's going in, because honestly, I love Subway," Wall said. "But I would prefer it to be a locally owned, non-chain restaurant. … I'm just glad it's not another Starbucks."
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 8:58am):
Another Subway? With all of the wonderful and diverse dining options in Madison, campus is getting another Subway; this is extremely disappointing.
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 10:53am):
Subway? Yuck.
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 10:58am):
Come on without a Subway on Library Mall, one would have to walk two blocks east or 4 blocks west!
- Germain E. Stemme
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 12:37pm):
i love subs with nothing on them
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 12:59pm):
they should have shaken things up and taken a "not a business as usual stance" and gone with Blimpies. A jazzier franchise if you ask me. jazzier
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 3:39pm):
I'm definately thinking if they were going to put in a new sub place, it should be a quiznos. Or put in a mcdonalds or burger king type place since the one on park street is closed.
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 4:22pm):
Very sad that the Pres House, long a center of social justice activism, is directly supporting a coporate-based company instead of a local business. Very sad indeed, with so many great locals to choose from...
Anonymous (March 21, 2007 @ 11:32pm):
too bad they went with a chain.
Anonymous (March 27, 2007 @ 3:56pm):
Subway is great!!! Definitely better choice from McDonalds and Burger King. At least Subway allows the consumers to make a healthy eating decision.
Anonymous (August 26, 2007 @ 2:50pm):
Why are the money changers looting the temple while no one these days even questions the arrangement ? For many years the basement of the Pres House housed diverse groups such as the Community Law Office to aid the disenfranchised, Community Action in Latin America, the South African anti-apartheid coalition, the Madison Info Shop, the UW Gospel choir, Human Rights for Asia. The coffee house served as a venue for music benefits for Brazilian street children, open mike poetry reading and so on. The reasons for selling out to money are clearly linked to the squandering of two trillion dollars on an immoral and unjust war for oil control in Iraq, that could have gone to fund basic research along with a million alternative ways to have taken out Saddam peacefully. UW now pays its teachers for three sections what it used to pay for teaching two sections. There is a need for more activism, not less. How is it the public was never involved in the discourse as to the fate of the basement of the Pres House. It is an ugly eyesore with a plastic artificial feel completely sterile and devoid of the life it once held. It is a travesty of the first order of magnitude. A social environmental impact statement should have been required to assess this breach of faith. If it was a money problem, then why not appeal to God, to community building instead of destroying community. Lowering the rent for the students but at what price? We needed far more activism, not less. It is corporate facism run rampant and the church supporting Hitler all over. Is there some reason for complacency. It is an outrage and lack of respect for the many who struggled with the causes of global injustice for so long. With tuition up and enrollment down it is the poor and minority groups who pay the largest price. What happened to the Wisconsin ideal?
