Locally-owned Satellite Coffee shops are replacing national chain stores in two locations on campus.
Chartwell’s, UNM’s food service provider, decided on the switch last month, in part because the Starbucks inside the UNM Bookstore was due for a renovation.
“It was too costly to renovate the Starbucks, so we looked at other options and we found Satellite,” said Rudy Simchak, resident district manager of Chartwell’s.
UNM Fair Trade Initiative co-chair Linley Green said it’s a step in the right direction.
“We’re always for supporting the local economy,” she said. “More money for local businesses goes back directly to the state’s economy.”
The UNM Bookstore Satellite opened Aug. 3, and the Satellite in the SUB, formerly Higher Grounds, is set to open Monday.
Former Starbucks employees were re-hired at both locations.
The UNM Fair Trade Initiative started a campaign at the end of the Spring semester pressuring Chartwell’s to provide more local produce and fair trade products on campus, but Chartwell’s made the decision to bring in Satellite before the campaign began.
Green said Satellite is preferable to Starbucks for additional reasons.
“As far as Satellite specifically goes, they have more fair-trade coffee,” she said.
“More of their food comes from local sources. They’re more involved in the community.”
Saggio’s and Dos Hermanos are other local chains in the SUB. Sahara, a local Mediterranean restaurant, opened last week in the SUB.
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A Starbucks will remain in Zimmerman Library.
Satellite Coffee opening in SUB Monday, Aug. 17
