Northwest College ended its franchise contract with Einstein Bros. Bagels, so when the campus reopens on Wednesday, the bagel shop will not. In its space at the DeWitt Student Center is a new eatery, temporarily being called “The Hub.”

Just like Einstein’s, it will be operated by Sodexo, the college’s contracted food service provider. Sodexo officials plan to survey students this fall to come up with a permanent name for the new establishment.

Lisa Watson, vice president for administrative services and finance, said Einstein’s franchise agreement didn’t offer the college the flexibility it needed to adjust its food service options this fall. There were a number of changes the college needed to make in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate reduced enrollment and social distancing, such as reduced dining spaces and the removal of the self-serve buffets.

As with any franchise agreement, the college had a number of restrictions on what it was allowed to do with Einstein’s space; they couldn’t offer any items outside the bagel shop’s approved offerings, for example.

There were also expenses involved with maintaining the contract, such as a $50,000 to $70,000 remodeling requirement to keep the space fresh. That was on top of the franchise fee and a fee NWC paid to Sodexo to operate the franchise.

“We wanted to provide a space where students could hang out and still give us as much flexibility as possible,” Watson said.

“The Hub” will be open to the public, she said, just like the rest of the campus. It will offer Starbucks coffee products, energy drinks, protein shakes and colas. Its breakfast menu includes egg sandwiches, muffins and danishes. It will also have daily specials for lunch and dinner.  The eatery will serve bagels, but won’t offer the dozen bagels to-go option, like Einstein’s.

The remodeled space includes new cabinetry and induction hoods for hot foods. Additionally, the A/C system, which had not been adequate, is being redesigned.

The college has instituted a number of protocols that everyone, including staff and students, are required to follow on campus to maintain safe practices during the pandemic. This includes mask requirements, Waston said. However, with the exception of those protocols and restrictions on events, people visiting campus this fall can expect that things won’t be different from previous years.

The Hub will be open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Fridays until 2 p.m. Along with the entire NWC campus, Einstein’s was closed in March, NWC President Stefani Hicswa explained at the Board of Trustees meeting this month, and Einstein’s staffers were laid off.

Meanwhile, the Seventh Street Grill inside the student center is permanently closed, Hicswa said, and the college has no immediate plans to repurpose the space.

Hicswa said other parts of campus will remain closed through the fall “due to cleaning restrictions.” With such regular cleanings required, she said NWC doesn’t have the custodial resources to clear the whole campus.