The new Starbucks carts on the bottom floor of the library will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. Photo by Jasmyne Ray/The Alabamian.
Chartwells is bringing Starbucks back to the University of Montevallo.
The two Starbucks carts are located in the bottom floor of Carmichael Library. Wade Walker, UM’s Director of Budget, spearheaded this change.
“I am extremely excited about the return of Starbucks,” Walker said. If the stand meets all the requirements of the Health Department, it should be open by Jan. 23 at the latest.
Kathy Lowe, the director of the library, says the new addition was meant to be finished before school resumed. The noise is Lowe’s only concern with this new addition. The movable Starbucks will be separated from Carmichael’s tutoring area with only a thin temporary wall.
The library will “invest in things that dampen the noise,” Lowe said. One of these investments includes a sound-blocking panel that will be mounted on the ceiling above the area.
“There is an option for making the temporary wall permanent. We are also adding noise-reducing panels that should help. We are taking a wait and see attitude,” Lowe said.
Wade said the decision to bring back Starbucks after two years came out of opportunity.
“We had always planned on increasing our offering in the library. We hoped we could make Starbucks work, because of its popularity, and when Chartwells offered the cart, we thought it would be a great addition,” Walker said.
The Starbucks stand will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and will also offer “grab and go food,” according to Lowe.
