A new market in the former North Campus Dining Hall location has provided University of Maryland students with more convenient shopping options since its opening two weeks ago.
The North Campus Market, located in the Ellicott Community, opened on Aug. 24 and has made shopping more accessible for students living nearby. The market was announced in fall 2022 and features a cafe and grill.
The market is open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends.
“It’s nice that I don’t have to walk super far to just get convenient stuff,” said freshman environmental science major and Cumberland Hall resident Alexis Lisle.
Students were shocked by the size of the market and the selection of items, they said. The market offers a collection of frozen meals, snacks, fruit, cleaning products, toiletries and school supplies.
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According to shop employee Saketh Kancheti, a graduate student studying cybersecurity, the most popular items in the market’s cafe are chicken tenders, fries and boba.
The market provides students like freshman biology major Lauren Kai Kai with healthier, allergy-free options. For Kai Kai, who is gluten-free, on-campus dining halls don’t always have many items that she can eat, so the market is a nice alternative, she said.
“It’s definitely going to improve my health because a lot of the stuff I eat at the dining hall [are] heavy carbs, not a lot of vegetables and just stuff for convenience,” Kai Kai said.
For freshman connection students who have evening classes, like letters and science major Hemrama Jalloh, the market’s late-night hours are convenient when other food options are closed.
“I thought if I ever needed anything, I don’t have to worry about going to the store. I could just come here,” Jalloh said. “This is a big advantage for me.”
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South Campus Dining Hall and Yahentamitsi Dining Hall close at 9 p.m. each day. 251 North Dining Hall closes at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 7 p.m. on weekends, according to this university’s dining services website.
According to Kancheti, the new market is most popular after 9 p.m.
But the late-night hours haven’t been welcomed by all students. Freshman mechanical engineering major Sadie Fishburne lives in a nearby dorm and is concerned that the market’s late hours could come with late-night disturbances, she said.
“That could be annoying if people are being annoying at one o’clock in the morning,” she said.
The new market may also see an esports studio next door in the future. If approved by the Board of Regents, this university’s Recreation and Wellness department is looking to open one for competitive esports teams and the general student body.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the closing time for the North Campus Market. The market closes at 1 a.m. every day. This story has been updated.
