‘Grab n’ go’ to class with new snack spot

There is a new “grab and go” style food option for WCC students. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 7 am until 9 pm. It is closed on Sunday. Courtney Prielipp | The Washtenaw Voice

New food option streamlines Student Center snacks

Charlie Trumbull

Staff Writer

A new food option on campus debuted over the summer semester in the Student Center. The Spot Market is a unique self-service option only accessible by scanning student and staff IDs. The small space is fully stocked with snacks, meals and beverages.

Ben Hunholz, WCC treasurer, saw a gap in food availability on campus after COVID-19 reduced food options and the open hours of the Java Spot Cafe, which is now open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We pretty quickly realized that we needed some options for students that were here during the void after hours until 10 p.m.,” he said.

He also hopes the third option can reduce long lines for food in the Student Center.

The Spot Market is distinctive from the other options in that it does not require employees. The self-checkout system has an easy-to-use interface, where shoppers can select their products from a touch screen and pay without cash.

The inspiration? Hunholz noticed an industry trend towards self-service kiosks in corporate businesses and college campuses.

“We have been approached by Creative Dining, who runs our markets, and vending machine companies [who are] really seeing this become popular,” he said.

Instructors and Spot Market customers Claire Sparklin, communications instructor at WCC, and Hava Levitt-Phillips, an English instructor at WCC, said they greatly enjoyed the simplicity of the new option.

Sparklin confessed she was “intimidated at first” but is happy to have an easy place to grab snacks.

Levitt-Phillips was surprised by how easy the self-checkout interface is to use.

“If we can do it, anybody can do it,” she said.

The Spot Market is located next to Garrett’s and is open Mon. through Sat. from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.