El Cappuccino, the new cafe opening next to the El Camino College bookstore, will be taking the old Manhattan Deli’s location.

In 2016 when the former Manhattan Deli faced a robbery attempt, it initiated a fire that broke out in the building, causing smoke damage, according to a brief published by The Union in 2016.

After almost six years of inactivity from the site, El Cappuccino will be the new place where El Camino community members can get their drinks and food from on campus, featuring a full coffee set up with many different creamers, as well as smoothies, espresso machines and prepared salads.

During the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee meeting on March 23, Bond Project Manager Khloe Campos said that the new cafe will see substantial completion by Thursday, March 31.

“The end is very near, everyone’s really excited,” Campos said during the March 23 meeting.

The estimated value of this project is $1.2 million and is estimated to be completed by March 31.

Executive Director Facilities Planning and Services Jorge Gutierrez, said that the cafe project has the same estimated value that the Manhattan Deli had, but that it may go up due to unforeseen conditions and costs.

Assistant Director of the El Camino Bookstore, Andrew Nasatir has been part of the planning process for the new cafe.

“The idea of the Bookstore Cáfe has been planned to be made right before the pandemic started,” Nasatir said. “The original food plan was to have a salad bar, but the pandemic messed those plans up, so the salads will be prepared freshly before the cáfe opens.”

Currently, El Cappuccino is still in development and is being tested by the operators for safety protocols.

Campos said that workers at El Cappuccino are doing the final touches and there will be no further installations for the cafe until further notice, but furniture is on order for seats.

“The workers are setting up all of the equipment such as the kitchen equipment and low voltage equipment, which includes wi-fi for devices needed to be used and there will be an installation of a TV,” Campos told The Union.

Editor’s Note: Corrected writer’s byline on April 14, 2022, at 5:31 p.m.