After many rumors, lots of speculation and not a few crossed fingers, the hopes of students all over Eastern’s campus have been realized: the Breezeway Café will indeed be expanding.
The Breezeway Café, located in Guffin Hall, is one of Eastern’s hotspots. The dining room is frequently clogged by lunchtime crowds, with dozens of additional students opting to get take-out. The only damper on the café’s popularity is its relatively small dining room, which holds about 75 students. However, Michael Kenis, Sodexho’s general manager, has confirmed that a major addition will be put on the café during the upcoming summer break.
The plan is to expand the side of the café onto the stone patio facing the soccer field. The new addition will roughly double the size of the dining room, adding between 50 and 56 more seats. The café’s preparation area will also be expanded, and counter seating will be added. There are no plans to increase the size of the kitchen.
“The plan is to have windows all along the side of the expansion,” Kenis said. “The new tables and counter will all face the window and give students a great view overlooking the soccer field.”
While no price has been set on the addition, Steve Jackie, Sodexho’s retail manager, says that Sodexho has granted $800,000 in funding for the project. Construction is scheduled to begin shortly after finals end and should be completed before school starts up again in August. There may be a delay as the construction plans are still being approved by the township. However, should construction extend into the fall semester, Kenis confirms that the Breezeway will still be open for business.