Gionna Bean, Aquinas Reporter
The Corner Cafe has closed as of the conclusion of the spring semester of 2023, and students around campus are upset.
While Wege Dining Services provide students at Aquinas with affordable, nutritious meals, the possibility of a different dining experience can bring excitement to the otherwise repetitive academic life of the common Aquinas student.
Many Aquinas students try to spice up their day by going to a downtown restaurant, ordering through Uber Eats or DoorDash, or even cooking their own meal at their house or apartment. However, these alternatives take away the one component that every college student desires: affordability.
Over the past few years, The Corner Cafe, located in Lower Wege, was a place where many students could find the perfect combination of both excitement and affordability.
However, all of this ended with the closing of The Corner Cafe. The corner shutdown was part of the changes associated with the master plan for Aquinas, designed and planned in 2015, as seen on the Aquinas website.
Students are conflicted over the matter. After talking to Kaitlyn Santiguida, she said, “I understand that many people are upset over it shutting down, but they did extend Wege hours, so there is still food. I just think that students liked the variety and various locations to be able to get food on campus,” Santaguida said.
The Corner Cafe offered a variety of foods, including burgers, chicken tenders, salads and protein bowls. Although Santaguida thought the place was convenient for a quick bite after her night class, she was frustrated with the expensiveness of the healthier options.
“I’m sort of a health freak, and any of their healthier options were only flex cash, cash, or card. They were pretty expensive considering I paid for an entire meal plan and couldn’t use a meal swipe for something I’d enjoy that’s healthy,” Santaguida said.
Students mostly went to The Corner Cafe for the atmosphere. The location of The Corner made it an enjoyable place to hang out with friends, with lots of seating available.
Senior Regina Mondro only went to The Corner Cafe once in her four years at Aquinas, but she found the atmosphere to be pleasant. “It was kind of casual and hidden away. You had to know it was there to get there, though, as opposed to The Moose or Wege,” Mondro said.
Mondro’s friends do not think that any of the food options on campus add up to what The Corner Cafe was. It was a good place to hang out with friends and offered something different than the typical Wege experience.
Freshmen may never get to experience what The Corner Cafe was like, but it’s clear that The Corner was a well-loved staple on campus while it was running. For now, Aquinas students will have to settle for a sandwich from The Moose or some DoorDash food to satisfy their thirst for variety.
Photos by Alexander Rodriguez
The Saint 