Coffee clash

A tall coffee and a cinnamon twist pastry signaled the beginning of a new era Monday morning at the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThat was the first order placed at Starbucks as it flung open its doors for the first time at the IMU -- though the coffee giant has already received some criticism from both employees and students within the Union. \nCoffee is certainly not a new addition to beverages offered at the IMU. The caffeinated drink seems to flow from students' veins each morning as countless patrons line up outside Union fixtures such as The Market and Sugar & Spice to get their daily fix. \nHowever, some people, such as Suzette May, manager of the IMU's Sugar & Spice coffee shop, already said they see the opening of Starbucks as just another way to bring needed cash to the Union, which has seen declining profits in recent years. \n"We are just supposed to go along with it," May said, referring to IMU officials adding competition to the market. "I have 17 kids here who absolutely depend on this. This is not just beer and weekend money for these kids. We have these people who are working their way through college off this job." \nHowever, Loren Rullman, executive director of the IMU, said there is much more to the Union than a cut-throat business atmosphere. He said the IMU works to protect all its shops.\n"(The IMU) is everyone's turf and nobody's turf all at the same time," he said. "I want to keep creating a place where people can come together and have conversations over coffee or over food and promote the social side of the Union." \nMay said she expected to see an initial dip in business because people would be "curious" about the new Starbucks but agreed with Rullman that Sugar & Spice -- a store that sells organic and fair-trade food products -- would survive. And all indications pointed in her favor Monday as lines often stretched beyond the small shop's doors. \n"Our employees and our customers are really loyal," May said, comparing her shop to Starbucks. \nIn 2005, the IMU hired the facility planning and management firm Brailsford & Dunlavey, headquartered in Washington, D.C., to "identify the reasons for declining patronage and to recommend improvements" for the Union, \naccording to the firm's Web site. The firm recommended the IMU examine its retail operations to better suit students. \nAfter a market survey, Steve Mangan, general manager of IMU dining services, said officials at the Union and the student-run Union Board worked together to pursue IU's first on-campus Starbucks store. \n"The truth of the matter is we are trying to enliven that part of the building," Mangan said, referring to the area adjacent to the first floor's South Lounge, a place where students typically study and sleep between classes. He said if some of the noise coming from the new Starbucks bothers students, there are many other places to study.\nDespite the controversy, things looked promising for the new coffee shop Monday. Business started just one minute after the shop opened at 7 a.m., when John Rapaport of Atlanta, on a visit to the University with his high school-aged daughter, unknowingly became the shop's first customer.\nA steady stream of patrons followed throughout the morning. Some commented that they loved the architecture, which Mangan said aimed to infuse both the Union's traditional style and what has become known as the "coffee culture." With century-old stone archways above and plush couches and tables and chairs lining the walls, Mangan said he was "very pleased" with the way the Starbucks turned out.\nAnd overall, students agreed. All of the students surveyed at the IMU on Monday said they thought this new shop would be successful. \nEven senior Julie Duhon, who said she holds "no loyalty" to Starbucks, said she thinks the store will thrive. She added that even though this addition would probably hurt Sugar & Spice -- her coffee shop of choice -- all of the shops could continue to flourish. \n"There are plenty of coffee drinkers at IU," she said. "There is a population of 30,000 students here, so there is enough of a market to support all of them. ... Besides, (Sugar & Spice) has the best gingerbread cookies"