The university extends a branch of its on-campus dining services today with the launch of the new Arbor store, at which patrons can select from over 400 food items, including Woodstock’s pizza and Subway sandwiches.

The new store opens today after two years of planning and construction, said Lance Heather, UCen Dining Services divisional manager of convenience stores. UCen Dining Services runs the store, which features a Subway sandwich station inside its structure as well as a Woodstock’s pizza-by-the-slice ordering window.

Heather said the new Arbor also includes previously unavailable items such as books and magazines, organic food and fresh Campbell’s soup. The former store was 400 square feet, he said, but its successor is several times larger, measuring 5,000 square feet.

The Woodstock’s ordering window opened last week and the Subway station is slated to begin business on Thursday, Heather said. UCen Dining Services collects a percentage of sales from Woodstock’s and Subway, he said. Besides the two chains, the new Arbor includes 10 refrigerated cases for beverages and organic food products provided by Mountain People.

Arbor co-manager and third-year biology major Christina Addington said she is pleased with the improvements.

“We carry a lot more products and can accommodate more preferences,” Addington said. “We also have organic food such as organic yogurt, popcorn, chips and tofu.”

Heather said XA Architecture Company designed the structure, which Carroll Constructions constructed for $1.2 million. Since the old Arbor was removed in 2003, a temporary 720-square-foot trailer served as a replacement.

Heather said completion of the Arbor, originally slated for summer 2005, was pushed back by bad weather.

“Construction was very difficult, weather-wise,” Heather said. “There was a lot of rain during excavation, which was not conducive to the construction, of course. It also rained when [construction workers] were making concrete.”

Arbor co-manager and fourth-year Women’s Studies major Sabrina Stolting said several associate positions are available at the new Arbor.

“Associate jobs include running the cash register, working the coffee cart and stocking,” Stolting said. “Students can apply for the jobs in the [Supervision Practices and Applications] office of the UCen.”

Stotling said the job hours are flexible, but require at least 12 hours of work per week.

Addington said she enjoyed working at the temporary Arbor, and expects she will feel the same about the new version.

“The work environment is fun, but still serious because it’s still a job,” Addington said. “Compared to other jobs it’s a lot better because students can accommodate their class schedules and meet a lot of people.”

Stolting said she is confident that the new Arbor will be successful.

“I think a lot more people are going to come,” Stolting said. “We’re open seven days a week now so that’s going to help.”

The Arbor is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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