Cerritos College
Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Vending services return to campus

Zebra+Coffee%2C+a+cafe+dedicated+to+serving+coffee%2C+tea%2C+pastries+and+other+beverages%2C+is+one+of+the+few+dining+services+returning+to+campus.+The+cafe+will+operate+Monday+through+Thursday+from+7%3A45+a.m.+-+1+p.m.
Clarissa Arceo
Zebra Coffee, a cafe dedicated to serving coffee, tea, pastries and other beverages, is one of the few dining services returning to campus. The cafe will operate Monday through Thursday from 7:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Dining and vending services are slowly making their way back to campus for the Spring semester beginning Monday, Jan. 24.

As of Monday, students and staff can purchase goods at Zebra Coffee, a coffee and pastry shop, and Elbow Room – a convenience store with snacks, beverages and meals.

Zebra Coffee is located at social sciences breezeway on the northwest side of campus, and elbow room is located in the multi-purpose building, just across from the social sciences.

Both locations are outdoors and will operate Monday through Thursday for the semester. Zebra Coffee will be open from 7:45 a.m. – 1 p.m., while elbow room will run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Elbow Room, a convenience store selling pre-packaged snacks, drinks and meals, also makes its way back on campus by the Multi-Purpose building. The store will run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m..
Elbow Room, a convenience store selling pre-packaged snacks, drinks and meals, also makes its way back on campus by the Multi-Purpose building. The store will run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.. Photo credit: Clarissa Arceo

The open locations will only be providing to-go services. You may also consider pre-ordering through the Ness app if you’re on the run.

The Cerritos College bookstore, operating from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., located on the northeast side of campus by the Gym, also offers bottled drinks and prepackaged food items for purchase.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and yet I hardly get around to eating it,” Joel Valdez, film major at Cerritos College, said, “I think it’s great that these services are open now so I can grab some coffee on my way to class.”

The campus’s food court is said to be set to reopen on March 7, when many of the courses return to in-person instruction.

The food court will host two locations- Healthy Blender and The Grill at La Mesa, where cooked-to-order food will be sold such as sandwiches, acai bowls, crepes, paninis and more.

Elizabeth Miller, Cerritos College’s Dean of Student Services, shared that there are eight food locations total on campus that are run by five different vendors.

“All food locations on campus are owned by local and/or small business franchises,” Miller said, “But with the limited number of students and employees on campus our vendor partners are struggling to remain open which is why there are currently only two food services open.”

While on-campus food services are able to hire students and opened for the first few weeks of the fall 2021 semester, Miller said that vendors were unable to sustain their businesses due to the number of students and employees on campus.

Students and staff on campus are encouraged to support Cerritos College’s vendors by purchasing goods from them as it also supports the College.

“Our vendors care about students and have been devastated by COVID-19 and the significant loss of business related to the reduced campus headcount,” Miller added, “Revenue from the operating fee our vendors pay goes directly back to students, and is provided to the ASCC to allocate for clubs, campus departments, commencement, and other activities to support student success.”

A select number of Cerritos College's dining and vending services are slowly making their way back to campus.
A select number of Cerritos College’s dining and vending services are slowly making their way back to campus. Photo credit: Clarissa Arceo

Show some love for Cerritos College’s vending services and treat yourself to a snack on your way to or from class.

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About the Contributor
Clarissa Arceo, Community Editor
Clarissa Arceo is Community Editor for Talon Marks covering community news, Life, and arts & entertainment. She is a Journalism major transferring to a 4-year university in the Fall. Aside from reporting, Arceo enjoys photographing community events, reading contemporary romance and psychological fiction novels, and taking trips to the beach.  
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Vending services return to campus