Appearing out of nowhere like a unicorn frappuccino, Starbucks will be entering the west endcap of Bison Block over the summer.
Bison Block has announced that the coffee shop will open by Sept. 1. Bison Block is located south of Minard Hall, across the street from 12th Avenue North.
This deal has been in the works for a couple of years now and Bison Block owner Roger Gilbertson was happy to say that construction will begin within the next 30 days.
“I am very excited about them coming here. Of course, Starbucks has huge name-brand recognition,” Gilbertson said, adding, “It is probably one of the top five companies inside the Untied States so I’m sure it will provide a great product for the students. I am certainly looking forward to it.”
The shop will be open for the new school year. Ahna Demester, an NDSU freshman studying human development and family science, said it is good news.
“I think that it’s a good idea because I don’t think that there is many Starbucks-like options for students and the union does not have as much variety as Starbucks,” Demester said. “A con would be that it is tempting to spend money on it since it is closer.”
The new space will be 2,000 square feet. The company aims to hire from NDSU to create more jobs for students. NDSU sophomore studying English education, Sam Fite, said, “I do think that it will be nice for students because it’s hard to get jobs around here and I don’t want to work in a mall or something like that, so having a close one where it is close on campus but not working with work study I think that will have a positive impact and that it is a nice opening for students.”
Starbucks’ opening was originally slated for earlier this school year.