By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer
Baylor University does a great job of providing for its students, but its campus is missing a key component.
Baylor has a myriad of on-campus dining choices, including dining halls, fast food and the one of the largest Starbucks on a college campus. But what Baylor’s campus is missing is an H-E-B.
Having an H-E-B on campus would accomplish multiple things for Baylor students. Firstly, it would provide a close and affordable grocery option for students with limited dining plans.
Many of Baylor’s dining plans do not provide weekend dining. Having an H-E-B on campus would allow students to pick up much-needed supplies on weekends in a quick and affordable fashion.
Also, many Baylor students — especially out-of-state students — do not have cars. The nearest grocery store is across the interstate, which is not walkable, especially considering the recent construction.
Having an H-E-B on campus would also promote healthy eating, as it offers far more healthy food options than the choices in the Bill Daniel Student Center, which include Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express and Steak ‘n Shake.
H-E-B is a reputable business that was founded and is headquartered in Texas. Giving support to a Texas business promotes economic growth in the state.
Having a grocery store on a college campus is not at all unheard of. In fact, it is quite common in certain parts of the United States.
Publix has a store on the campus of the University of South Florida. Target has a store on the campus of the University of Kentucky. Having a grocery store on the campus of Baylor would help further update Baylor’s campus and could serve as a recruiting pitch for prospective students.
Baylor has the space on campus to do this as well. There are numerous places on campus with the size to fit an H-E-B Marketplace. An example of such a space can be found in between the Allbritton House and the Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.
Placing a store on the campus of Baylor would make a lot of sense for H-E-B as well. They would have the business of thousands of students and would have a monopoly on the grocery business on campus. A store on the campus of Baylor would be incredibly profitable for H-E-B.
Having an H-E-B on the campus of Baylor University would be a great idea for both Baylor and H-E-B, as it takes care of a need among Baylor students while providing business for H-E-B.
