By Olivia Bettencourt/Staff Writer

Missouri Valley College announced Starbucks coffee is coming to the campus in mid-March. Valley shared the news on its social media accounts; using the caption: “Something is brewing…A special addition is coming to campus after spring break.”

Starbucks will be added to the small-town campus Bistro and the news has excited many students. 

“Who doesn’t love Starbucks?” said Reina C De Baca, a sophomore from New Mexico .

Dr. Joe Parisi, the president-elect and future president of Missouri Valley, initiated the idea of Starbucks coming to the campus. The future Starbucks is partnered with Fresh Ideas, Valley’s food supplier

“It’s to make money for the school and to make profits,” said Katie Ritchie, the manager of the new Starbucks.

The shop is not only for MVC students; it’s for the whole town of Marshall.

“It is a legit Starbucks coffee shop,” Ritchie said. “It will be the same hours as the Bistro and it will be open to the public.”

Ritchie added how it’s also possible for the Starbucks food menu to replace the current one at the Bistro: “It’s still up in the air.”

Another manager, Angie Roettgen, added how this new Starbucks will be a nice and refreshing place for students to hang out. She’s looking forward to “seeing the excitement” of having different coffee options.

Many students are excited about the coffee shop coming to campus, mainly for the variety of coffee choices that are going to be on the menu. 

Sophie De Rouin, a freshman from Austria, said Starbucks will provide higher quality coffee “for what we’re already paying for.” Senior from Mexico Kary Patron added that this addition will be an “improvement” from the coffee at the Bistro.

“I’m looking forward to having more options,” Irla Santoro, a freshman from Venezuela, said. “I don’t have a Starbucks in my country, and I really liked it the last couple of times I’ve had it.”

The nearest Starbucks to the school is 30 miles south of Marshall in Sedalia, Missouri. 

“The closest Starbucks to us is 35 minutes away,” freshman from California Aidee Mendoza said. “I’m a coffee lover. I want my Starbucks every day and close by.”

Students are also excited about how the addition of Starbucks will change the atmosphere of Missouri Valley. 

“I think it will also generate some revenue and buzz for the school,” freshman from Australia Izi Bonfil said. “As an international student, it’s pretty cool to see something like a Starbucks on campus, it almost feels like it adds to the ‘American’ college experience in a way.”

Even though many students are excited about the coffee company coming to campus, some students think Starbucks will charge the same, maybe more, for coffee that tastes the same as the Bistro. 

“It’s overpriced; prices are expensive,” Luca Hasse a freshman from Germany said. He hopes there’s more of a menu and it’s “not just coffee” being served.

Other students questioned whether Starbucks was the best choice to replace the Bistro.

“It could’ve been a Chick Fil A or an actual food place,” sophomore from Missouri Vanessa Cardenas said. “We don’t need another coffee shop.”

Junior from Arkansas Ivory Daniels added how improving the machines and supplies already on campus would have been “the better solution.”

Starbucks is very popular among college students. Parisi and Ritchie hope the coffee shop brings good business and makes money for the school.

Parisi, Fresh Ideas, and the managers of Starbucks have all started working on the shop. The managers, including Ritchie and Roettgen, and other new employees are starting training to work at the new Starbucks. 

Parisi hopes the workers and the shop will all be ready for the students when they return from spring break.