Sugar 'n' Spice and Everything New

The fair-trade coffee, local produce, fresh cakes, pies and salads give it away -- Sugar and Spice has gone organic. \nThe bakery and coffee shop, located on the second floor of the Indiana Memorial Union next to the IU Bookstore, was redesigned as part of a larger effort to remodel parts of the building. \n"We're trying to get people to not just think of us for their sugar fix," said Sugar and Spice manager Suzette May. "We wanted to add some local and organic things to the store, too." \nGone are the Starbucks coffee -- replaced with fair-trade and organic Green Mountain coffee -- and the refrigerator of Nestea and POWERade. The store's shelves and wooden baskets are now full of organic peanuts, trail mix, dates and chocolate bars. A new 'cold' display case holds a selection of pasta, salad, pies and cakes. Still remaining is the basic selection of cookies, brownies, no-bakes and breads. \n"It is unique in the union - the focus on organic, fresh and local products," said IMU Director Loren Rullman. \nStudents will not have to deal with the absence of Starbucks in the IMU for too long, though, as a new Starbucks Coffee will open on the third floor before the end of the semester. Rullman said the Starbucks location will host events like poetry slams and feature small musical groups.\nBut not everyone is happy about the changes to Sugar and Spice. Bloomington resident Lori Teach said she shops at the store regularly for the cake but is disappointed with the new organic look. \n"It's supposed to be a quick, in-and-out store," Teach said. "They need to stop changing things around." \nMay countered that most customers are happy with the new look, saying Sugar and Spice is a unique place on campus. It has longer hours than Kiva, another IMU foot outlet, and serves vegan food that isn't available everywhere. \n"There are people on campus who like vegan meals," she said. "Some of them come over from Collins -- I don't think they're serving as many vegan meals over there as they used to." \nSugar and Spice will still carry most of the items that were sold last year. Though some customers have expressed their disappointment that iced coffee is no longer available, May said it might become available in the future. \nIU Outdoor Adventures is another IMU program that will receive a face lift. It will move from a temporary location into remodeled space after spending the last 10 years without proper offices. The new facilities will include racks to store equipment as well as desk space.\nThe Whittenberger Auditorium, too, is in the process of being updated. It is getting new seats, a new electronic media package and a taller screen. Rullman said these additions should be completed and ready to open sometime in October. He said the new screen will be designed to provide improved visibility.\n"We had some people complaining about not being able to see the (old) screen," Rullman said, "so we're moving it up about two feet. That should make it easier to see."\nThe IMU is spending a significant amount of funding on the remodeling projects. The Whittenberger improvements are set to cost about $400,000, while the Starbucks facilities will cost $200,000 and the IU Outdoor Adventures space will cost about $40,000.\n"Because the Union Board programs things in these spaces, (renovations) will help enhance the experience of students and customers," Rullman said.