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Technology Store, Starbucks coming to Webb Center |
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In another month or so, Webb Center's North Mall may well rival its South Mall counterpart in terms of foot traffic. A new Technology Store is expected to open on the north end of the student center Sept. 2, and Starbucks will be moving in next door in the space previously occupied by Java One. The Starbucks outlet, as well as a second coffee shop in the Batten Arts and Letters Building lobby, is tentatively scheduled to open in late September or early October. Targeted to individual faculty, staff, students and alumni - and even to campus offices and departments - the Technology Store will sell everything from computers and printers to software, MP3s and new and remanufactured printer cartridges. Once bids are awarded in the next few weeks, the operation will also offer cell phone and Internet connectivity services. Because the store will not be in business to make a profit, the savings will be passed on to its educational customers. "We believe that our prices will be a minimum 5 to 10 percent below what you can find in the local market, including for Internet connectivity," said Earle Gower, assistant director for business affairs in the Office of Computing and Communications Services, who will oversee the Technology Store's operation. "Our intent is to break even; we're only looking to cover our operating costs." The shop will carry printers, cables, hard drives, a variety of software, including Microsoft products, digital cameras and digital hand-held organizers. It will place custom orders for Gateway and Dell computers and have demonstration units on site. Gower said he is currently negotiating with Apple as well. "We've adopted the Burger King motto: Special orders don't upset us," he joked. "If you want something and we don't have it, we can get it. This will be an evolving store with personal service. If we don't stock something, we will find the product the customer wants at the lowest possible price." The Technology Store will also sell Cisco wireless NIC cards, which can be added to laptop computers for connectivity at wireless ports throughout the campus. Through a partnership with the University of Maine, the store will have an e-commerce site and accounts with the country's seven major distributors of technology-related products. Using this e-commerce arrangement, most orders can be filled within 24 hours, Gower noted. The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and during the first month of every semester it tentatively will also be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The store's Web address is www.odu.edu/techstore. Gower noted that many other colleges and universities offer technology stores, either as stand-alone operations or through their bookstores. "The price that students have to pay for technology has always bothered me," he said. "This is a way we can give something back. Providing an excellent service is really the whole intent - and it doesn't cost the institution any money." After making their purchases, customers can walk next door for some food and drink at Starbucks, which will carry a full line of hot and cold coffee beverages, salads, sandwiches and pastries. "I'm delighted that Starbucks is going to join the university community and expect that it will become an integral part of the daily routine for many of our students, faculty and staff," said Don Runyon, assistant vice president for auxiliary services. Prices for drinks will range from $1.50 to $3.99. Both the Webb and BAL Starbucks shops will accept cash, Monarch Plus cards and Flex points, and will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. The Webb Center Starbucks location will also feature a "cyber cafe" nearby for customers who want to mix business with pleasure. Tables and chairs will be available just outside the coffee shop, along with convenient ports for both hard and wireless Internet connectivity. |
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