Campus Dining Reimagined at Central Market Place

Monday, October 21, 2024

The beginning of the new school year marked the opening to a new go-to spot on campus: Central Market Place. Central Market Place is a fantastic addition to the OSU dining scene, providing a fresh and dynamic space for students to gather and enjoy a wide range of food from four dining options: Caribou Coffee, 405 Deli, BYTE and 1890 Market.

At the official ribbon cutting ceremony, we met with Scott McCollum, assistant director of University Dining Services, to learn more about the purpose behind the creation of the new dining space on campus:

Q: What was the thought process behind building the new Central Market Place?

A: The first step was defining we really wanted a fresh market. We wanted something much more modern than what we had with Twenty Something. We wanted to create a space for students to have access to a variety of fresh produce and other grocery items, and I think that we have done a great job with that by expanding not only by the shelves, but also product selection.

Q: What impact do you hope the Central Market Place will have on campus life at Oklahoma State?

A: The central location of the market on campus ensures that the market is always accessible and will always be occupied by students. We hope to go above and beyond the success of Twenty Something. We want to offer more to students than what we did in the past.

Q: If you could highlight one unique feature of the Central Market Place, what would it be and why?

A: The BYTE concept is definitely a unique feature worth highlighting. When figuring out what we wanted to add to Central Market Place, the idea of a ghost kitchen came to my mind and presented a really cool opportunity to provide a large variation of food without making any cosmetic changes to the space. The locker-style concept has already gained a lot of traction from students and has become very popular, and we are expecting the popularity will continue to grow throughout the school year.

For more information, menus and hours for the new Central Market Place, visit University Dining Services’ website.