A Look Inside the New SAC Market

The SAC Market, formerly a Stony Brook University merchandise and apparel store, has been transformed into a multiconcept food service venue. To focus on meeting the needs of students and keeping up with trends in higher education, this construction project improved the aesthetic appeal, functionality and efficiency of the space at the Student Activities Center. 

The project has exceeded expectations by providing healthier options, convenient grab-and-go items, sustainable practices, faster service with self-ordering kiosks, a hub for the social fabric of the campus, and the flexibility of a wide array of menu options including the Global Flavors hot entree bar that caters to the diverse student population on campus. 

Food You Crave

The SAC Market includes three distinct food concepts — Argo Tea Cafe, Craft Salads and Bowls, and a marketplace with a self-serve international food bar, grab-and-go sandwiches and snacks, soups, and fresh baked-on-campus pastries and sweets. As a central hub for the campus, the SAC Market was designed to be a warm and inviting space for students to study, meet with friends and enjoy the convenience of many grab-and-go options. 

Argo Tea offers a wide variety of beverages starting with 12 different flavors of teas on tap, chai or matcha vanilla teappuccinos, bubble teas, or “build your own” tea where you can choose the tea, flavor shot and type of milk you desire.

The vegan muffins are made with wholesome ingredients and come in yummy flavors such as green tea and lemon poppyseed. Savory bakery items include spinach and feta or leek and parmesan puff pastries. Brioche sliders are the perfect snackable item offering smoked turkey, roasted tomato and swiss, or chicken pesto.

Craft Salads and Bowls offers the option to customize and build your own salad or choose from a curated menu of salads and grain bowls such as Santa Fe, Southern Fried Chicken or Mediterranean. The trendy hot bowls include Spicy Chicken, Southern Mashed Potato Bowl or Memphis BBQ Beef Brisket. 

Amenities You Enjoy

The Faculty Student Association (FSA) and CulinArt worked together to transform the space by adding seating options that include functional and comfortable chairs with trendy high-top tables and ADA accessible seating as well as charging stations with outlets and USB ports. 

Innovative Solutions 

“A major goal for the project was to design a space for our diverse campus community where students could enjoy a social and interactive dining experience offering a wide variety of cuisines and healthy dining options,” stated Amanda Alicea, FSA Business Development Manager. Innovation played a role in fulfilling this goal with digital menu boards to communicate nutrition information and healthy options. The two digital self-ordering kiosks for Craft Salads and Bowls provide faster service and options for customization.

Sustainable Impact

The Stony Brook University campus community consumes more than 300,000 tea beverages per year. Argo Tea was chosen for this venue not only because of the campus popularity of tea beverages, but also because it offers many sustainable options and is committed to earth-friendly business practices. They firmly support the conservation of natural resources and look for ways to lessen their impact on the environment. Sporks and knives are made from compostable materials. The shopping bags and the sleeves on Argo Tea paper cups are made from 100% recycled material.

Argo Tea Cafe was built using sustainable construction materials and ENERGY STAR® rated equipment. The location is equipped with an energy-efficient tankless water heater that heats water on demand and energy-efficient LED lights both overhead and under-counter for aesthetics at the Argo Tea Cafe.

FSA is a demonstrated leader in identifying solutions for reducing plastic waste on campus and finding sustainability programs to reduce our carbon footprint, which is why Craft Salads are served in certified compostable bowls made from plants that turns into soil in a commercial composting system. SAC Market offers a water bottle refill station to minimize single use plastics. Students enjoy using the water bottle refill station with a program called Fill it Forward. 

The centrally located store is vibrant, visible and inviting to all who visit the building. “We want the campus community to join us at an amazing, fun space in the center of campus that offers variety and value for everyone. There’s a great craveability factor to the menu and we feel strongly that you deserve world-class foodservice options,” stated Van Sullivan, FSA Executive Director. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Friday, February 21, at 2 pm.