After The Nook opened last quarter in McMahon Hall as the newest Housing and Food Services (HFS) express market, many students found little variance from the typical candy, pop and frozen dinners sold at other stores.

Although The Nook has been open for three weeks, Jonathan Munoz, a freshman who moved to McMahon this quarter, has yet to visit it.

“Somebody in my cluster told me it was basically the same stuff,” he said. “I think it’s kind of pointless if it’s not different than Ian’s [Domain]. If someone really wants a snack, they could just walk up to McCarty Hall. It’s not really that far.”

Still in the transitional stages, some shelves in The Nook remain bare, waiting for food vendor deliveries as well as student requests, said Joseph Maury, assistant manager of express markets, at a Residence Hall Student Association (RHSA) meeting.

“[Ian’s Domain and The Nook] are very similar right now,” Maury said. “Part of that is just an attempt to get the product out right away. We want to get some of the most popular items available for customers. As far as moving forward, we are working on that.”

One of the aspects involved with “moving forward” is introducing more organic and ingredient-type products so students can potentially make their own meals. There is still discussion as to how this change will be implemented.

RHSA Programming Director Kyle Fuller would like to see an increase in accessible and easy food preparation options.

“I love to cook,” Fuller said. “I think it would be more beneficial to change Ian’s into more of a market style, with the kind of things you’d find at a grocery store that you can’t find up here; more variety of produce, raw protein to cook with.”

While The Nook doesn’t have nearly as many customers as Ian’s Domain or 2 Convenient, Luke Kakizaki, a full time lead at The Nook, has noticed a steady stream of newcomers everyday — more specifically every night — when half of the store’s customers come searching for snacks.

To continue this trend, Kakizaki wants to create a homier atmosphere in The Nook. He hopes to supplement the radio and television already present with student art, a microwave and panini grills. However, he decided that some student suggestions, such as neon lights, might be a little over the top.

“My point is to enhance the quality of students’ lives by making it so that it’s not just a stale convenience store,” said Kakizaki.

For some students, it’s the simple convenience that draws them to the store.

“You can get chocolate here, and you couldn’t get that before in this building,” said Natalie Van Stone, a sophomore living in Haggett Hall. “That’s the main reason why I come here.”

The Nook is open daily from 11-1 a.m.

Reach reporter Heather Milligan at news@dailyuw.com.