Newly renovated Commons Marketplace to open in January

Tufts Dining Services will open the rebranded Commons Marketplace on Jan. 14, when students return to campus for the start of the spring semester, according to Director of Dining and Business Services Patti Klos. The eatery was originally supposed to reopen during fall semester, but was pushed back due to delays in receiving construction and demolition permits, Klos said.

Lyza Bayard, the marketing and communications specialist of Dining and Business Services, explained that the newly remodeled space was influenced by feedback from Tufts community members.

“It’s our goal to give the community what [it] would like, and we knew change was needed -- modernization, new food, a location that would serve the community better -- without giving up the things everybody is used to, which is late night hours and flexible food choices,” she said.

A need for new food service styles also served as a motivation for the remodeling, according to Klos. She added that the Commonswas built in 1985 and needed to become more efficient and effective to serve the large number of students that purchase meals there.

“The space was very dated, and equipment was becoming antiquated, and it no longer met the needs of the community and was not designed in a way that enabled us to operate as efficiently as we can,” Klos said.

The new Commons will feature a revamped layout that is designed to make the area less crowded and more easily navigable, according to Bayard. The goal in all Tufts Dining locations is for people to be able to quickly get what they need and then pay, she added.

“We always are as much in touch with our customers as possible," Klos said. "But what’s great about the [Mayer] Campus Center, and in particular this marketplace, is that it’s a gathering area for lots of different segments of the campus community … It’s really important to the campus community that this space not only provide contemporary, delicious food choices, but also a welcoming environment where all those different segments of the campus community can interact."

The remodeled Commons will offer a variety of new menu options, and the new food stations featured will be called Toss, Refresh, Sizzle, Press and Mix and Match -- each with a different type of food, according to Bayard.

Bayard explained that the Toss station will allow students to choose a base, toppings and dressing for a freshly made salad. There will also be a hot option, which will let students combine grains, a protein and vegetables. The Refresh station will be a beverage cooler with a large selection of sodas and other drinks.

The Press station will allow students the opportunity to order freshly made panini sandwiches, Bayard said. The Sizzle station will feature grilled and fried foods, such as chicken fingers and French fries, as well as different types of burgers. The Mix and Match station will have cold foods, hot prepared foods and soups for students who want to grab a quick bite to eat.

“The menu has been heavily revised to reflect so many interesting healthy options, variety … [and] individualized choices," Bayard said. "We really are catering to the student community, as well as faculty and staff."

The Commons will also incorporate a small shop area, Bayard added. She said that this shop will feature local goods along with more traditional options and will offer convenient products, a role that was previously filled by the now-closed Jumbo Express convenience store.

“Students still want a place where they can grab things sometimes and not have to go off campus," she said. "You might want to grab some mints on your way out, or hard candies or a cool local chocolate bar to have in your backpack … Those are the kind of things that will be in shop."

According to Klos, students will be able to use a meal swipe at the Commons on Friday and Saturday nights. The eatery will remain open later than other dining establishments on campus during the week and on weekends.  

Bayard was enthusiastic about the reopening of the Commons, the changes that have been made and the new choices offered to the Tufts community.

“We’re very excited to see how people respond to [the Commons],” Bayard said. "All of us at Tufts are very grateful to the community for your patience while we revamp the Commons Marketplace. We know it may have been a bit of an inconvenience. We think it will be worth the wait."