6th Street Market gets makeover
The 6th Street Market transformed during winter break, moving beyond the bounds of a convenience store and becoming a community store where there are more food options for students, according to Pat Clelland, general manager of Campus Dining at the University of Idaho.
Amelia Warden | Argonaut
Idaho student Daniel Krahn, 22, scans a few products in the newly renovated 6th St. Marketplace located on campus.
The store was renamed, “The Grid,” which Kevin Maines, retail operations manager, said is in reference to the store promoting a connected community.
Clelland said the store still carries candy and chips, but has adapted to offer healthier items and minimize shopping time for students by offering enough options to prepare full meals. He said they are also trying to incorporate more local products, such as Washington Apples and Shepard’s Grain products.
“We saw the need to make this a better space,” Clelland said. “The ultimate goal is to create a community store to contribute to student success.”
Clelland said the store now offers more than food as well. One new addition to the store is recharging stations, where students can sit and eat or have an espresso from the new coffee bar while recharging their electronic devices.
The Grid now offers vegan, organic and gluten-free products to accommodate the dietary needs of any student, Clelland said. There are also fresh items made daily, such as hot soup, sushi and salad, he said. The store carries grab-and-go sandwiches too, along with hot sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches and frozen entrees.
In an effort to become more ingrained in the community, Campus Dining is now heading a philanthropy effort from within the confines of the store. Toward the front of the store, three tubes were added, each labeled with a local club or organization, Clelland said. When a purchase is made, the customer will receive a wooden coin, which they can then put into the tube with the club of their choice. Clelland said the club with the most coins receives a percentage of The Grid’s sales in the form of food from Vandal Dining, which would include places like Einstein’s, Denny’s or pizza from the Idaho Commons. The names currently on the tubes are the local food bank, the Humane Society and Stop Hunger.
The remodeling of the store was done in two stages during school breaks, Clelland said.
The first stage was during Thanksgiving break when the coffee bar was added, which now includes a high-end, self-serve cappuccino and latte machine, Clelland said. Also included during fall break was a case meant for fresh bakery items such as muffins, bagels and cookies.
Amelia Warden | Argonaut
Krahn stocks shelves in the newly renovated 6th St. Marketplace located on campus.
The second stage of remodeling began Dec. 20, when the store closed for winter break. During this time Clelland said the majority of the remodeling was done, like adding in the recharging stations, changing the seating and installing new signs. He said they also put in more efficient lighting.
Maines said the remodel was completed Jan. 8, and he and his employees had two days to get everything set up for the soft opening Jan. 10. He said he likes to incorporate the employees into the running of operations, including scheduling.
He said 70-80 percent of the employees who work in Vandal Dining are students, and the rest are local residents of the community.
Clelland said although hours are subject to change depending on the amount of transactions with the late night hours, the store hours are the same as before, from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday-Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Mary Malone can be reached at [email protected]