The Grove at SKYCTC keeps student meals affordable
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) — The Grove at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College is working to keep meals affordable for students while also providing a place to study, meet with friends and spend time between classes.
Café manager Gary Cassibry said the approach is tied to the college’s broader focus on supporting students.
“We pride ourselves in a culture of caring here. And so, with that being said, they wanted the food to be also a part of that culture of caring,” Cassibry said.
Keeping meals within reach
Cassibry regularly searches for lower grocery prices in an effort to keep those costs from being passed along to students.
Some items at The Grove are sold at a loss. One example is a $3 hot dog meal that includes all-beef hotdog, chili, toppings, chips and a 16-ounce refillable drink.
Cassibry said the prices often catch students by surprise.
“They just can’t believe that the costs are so low. And they always make the remark, ‘I can’t get this anywhere else.’ And so I’m happy that they’re happy,” he said.
Affordability, however, does not mean sacrificing quality.
Cassibry said The Grove has upgraded several of the products it serves, including its bread, pickles, meat and cheese. When there is room in the budget, he said the goal is to put that money back into the food rather than simply increase profit.
A different measure of success
For Cassibry, the amount of money coming through the register is not the only way to determine whether The Grove is doing its job.
He also watches the number of transactions. If more students are buying food while overall revenue falls, that can mean more students are being served at lower prices.
That fits the larger goal of making meals accessible while still giving students food they want to come back for.
More than a place to eat
The Grove also gives students somewhere to spend time on campus, whether they are eating or not.
Students can study, charge a device, meet with a campus club or simply relax between classes. No purchase is required to use the space.
Cassibry said creating that kind of environment is just as important as what is on the menu.
“I want people to feel welcomed. I want people to come in, feel like they’re a part of something,” he said.
That combination — affordable food and an open place to gather — is what Cassibry said The Grove is designed to provide.
For students, it means a place where a meal can cost less without being treated as less, and where sitting down at a table can be about more than lunch.
