A Snack Stop at Cooper’s Corner

Cooper’s Corner – a convenience store on campus

This week observed both the arrival and departure of parents’ weekend. Many parents visited their children for a weekend of activities together, including the hanging of the Golden Chords, the welcome fair, and the Alumni-Warriors volleyball game. For some students, it provided a chance to hear their parents reminisce about the good old days, when they, too, were students at Union College.

I personally had the opportunity to hear my mother talk about the weekend when Coopers Corner first opened three decades ago (or so she said). I asked her about what it was like and if it had the same snacks as now. She couldn’t remember well and could only recall that when she was here, there were nachos served! She had a vivid memory of the time when a bunch of students gathered there one Sunday evening. Like today, it was a chance to forget all assignments and work to be done and just relax. While she ate nachos at a table, one student dared another to eat an entire 10-oz can of jalapeño peppers. She was horrified that he accepted the challenge. This past parents' week, she wondered how it worked out for him later that evening.

Even though you won’t find nachos in our Cooper’s Corner today, if you find yourself carving a savory or a special sweet treat, head on over to Cooper's Corner convenience store. If you want a place to hang out with friends or to do some homework, Cooper’s Corner is the place to go. It is located on the upper level of the Don Love Building across from the Library and behind the study rooms in the Student Life Center. 

When she visited, my mother did not recognise it; that’s because it has been renovated since the time she was here 30 years ago. But it still has all kinds of snacks: various chips, candies, ice cream, and small packaged meals. There is also a wide selection of drinks and full-size boxes of cereal to choose from. Students can use cash, bank cards, or their student IDs to pay.

The hours are consistent; Cooper’s Corner is open from Sunday to Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., and on Fridays, it is open from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. There is not only food and snacks, but there is also a lounge area for students to sit, eat, study, or just hang out.  There are, however, no cans of jalapeños. I wonder why?

By: Chris Martinez