New Einstein Bros. Bagels grab-and-go kiosk opens in the Armory
Students can now get bagels and coffee on their way to class with the new Einstein Bros. Bagels “grab-and-go” kiosk on the first floor of the Armory.
January 22, 2018
Einstein Bros. Bagels opened up a new “grab-and-go” kiosk in the Armory. It is the fifth on-campus location as part of the partnership between the franchise and the University.
The new location opened on the first day of classes this semester, adding to a series of new additions to the Armory.
Marc Bralts, franchise owner of Einstein Bros. Bagels, confirmed the permanence of this location. The University put out a proposal request for an eatery in the Armory, which Einstein Bros. Bagels bid on and accepted.
“We built it out, put all plumbing and power requirements there in partnership with the school,” Bralts said. “We’re in there for the long haul.”
The kiosk features bagels and spreads, along with coffee and espresso drinks, but it is limited in what it can serve as the location does not bake food like its other locations.
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The kiosk will be open Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The location will not normally be open on the weekends, except in the case of special events.
Bralts sees this location as a convenient asset for students and faculty who need a quick bite to eat.
“People coming through the building or having a class can stop in without having to leave the building and pick up something for breakfast or lunch,” Bralts said.
Other campus locations include in the basement of the Illini Union, in the Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science, in the College of Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building and near the intersection of University and Lincoln avenues.
“We feel very integrated with campus,” Bralts said.
Students have noticed and appreciated the convenience of this new location, including Anisha Prakash, graduate student in FAA.
“The location is great. It’s close to my department.” Prakash said. “I would love to see a kiosk location in the Architecture Building since that is where I am mostly.”
Prakash would like to see more variety in the types of food available around-campus buildings.
“It would be good to have something selling pizza or sandwiches closer to where I am,” Prakash said.
Daniel Vardy, freshman in Engineering, also likes the kiosk and would like to see similar options set up across campus.
“It would probably be helpful to have a location on either the South Quad or the Engineering Quad,” Vardy said. “I’d like to see restaurants like Five Guys or Chipotle make a kiosk.”
