Students are no longer seen eating lunch, doing homework or taking naps at the EC cafeteria, which closed down Monday due to its lack of business.

Although the cafeteria is closed, there are now opportunities to make use of the space. The current plan is to turn the cafeteria into a lounge area for EC students, Lynnda Nelson, bookstore director said.

“I think it’ll be more of a place for students to hang out and be able to eat and study at the same time,” Nelson said.

If the cafeteria turns into a lounge, Nelson would like to put in couches and possibly a TV showing sports. She also said she’d like to move the coffee cart from outside the building into the lounge.

“The coffee cart isn’t doing too well by itself,” Nelson said.

She said that beside coffee, the lounge would also serve sandwiches, chips, salads and have a hot dog stand. The cafeteria’s catering services will continue.

Nelson is not sure when the lounge will open, but said she wants to get started on it soon.

She said she hopes it will be a good service for the students, a quieter alternative to the Student Activities Center.

“The Student Activities Center is loud, and a lot of people don’t like to go over there,” Nelson said.

Every semester, sales made by the delis and convenience stores on campus go up, but the cafeteria sales go down, Andy Nasatir, assistant director of the bookstore, said.

Nasatir said that the lack of customers at the cafeteria could possibly be due to students being closer to the restaurants on Crenshaw Boulevard.

“It’s not worth it (for the cafeteria) to be open for the few people who go over there,” Nelson said.

The EC bookstore owns the two convenience stores on campus, Common Grounds and the Manhattan. The cafeteria and the delis are owned by S&B Foods, a company that pays the EC to provide services here.

“I think the new concept ( of the lounge) will bring people up,” Dave McDonald, vice president at S&B Foods said. “They’ll have a place to hang out.”

Jody Madden, a 20-year-old music performance major, likes the idea of having a lounge on campus.

“It’s a bit of an old school, so it would be nice to see it a bit on the newer side.” Madden said.

Madden said she does not like to go to the delis on campus because they are small and often crowded with students.

McDonald said that the school is open to suggestions and that students can use the comment box in either of the two delis to make suggestions for the lounge.

“It (the lounge) is going to be a great place for group. studies,” McDonald said.

Campus Eateries

Even though the Cafeteria is closed, there are still other places to grab a bite on campus:

Campus Deli, Fine Arts patio

Monday to Thursday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Campus Deli, MCS patio

Monday to Thursday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Common Grounds

Monday to Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Friday

Manhatten

Monday to Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.