An on campus grocery store expected to open spring term is on hold due to problems in finding an appropriate space for the store. Sodexo Magic, the university’s food service vendor, had hoped to open the store in the administrative annex located on Brush Row Road at the back of the university’s main parking lot.
“The building … cannot be used due to mold and plumbing issues,” said Alisha Sampson, the general manager of SodexoMagic. Sampson said that Sodexo is hoping to secure a new location and open the store sometime next year.
Students have complained for years about a lack of options for buying food near campus. The closest food vendor to Central State is the Speedway convenience center at the corner of Brush Row Road and SR 42. “We need an on-campus grocery store,” said Jenay Jones, president of the Student Government Association.
Sampson said that the planned grocery store will definitely fill a need. “(It) will carry organic food and produce and will include a deli for freshly sliced meats and cheeses, a beverage section, dry and packaged foods, cereals and soups,” she said.