Campus Square - Lehigh University

The Bethlehem Farmers’ Market will host a “Green” Community Day on September 4th to promote sustainability awareness in the Lehigh Valley. 

At next Thursday’s market, it won’t only be about buying local produce and baked goods. For the first time, the Market is hosting a “Green” Community Day that they are planning to hold annually every fall.

The Community Day is scheduled for September 4, 2008 from 12-4 pm at Campus Square (New and Morton Sts. in south Bethlehem).

Local, environmentally conscious groups, businesses, and organizations will be there to educate and inform patrons on the importance of sustainability and to show attendees the many ways they can make a difference right here in the Lehigh Valley.

Local groups represented at the event will be the Alliance for Sustainable Communities- Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Food Co-Op, Clothesline Organics, The City of Bethlehem Bureau of Recycling, and Lehigh’s own Environmental Initiative.

Dork Sahagian, Earth and Environmental Science professor and chair of Lehigh’s Environmental Initiative at Lehigh comments, “it’s wonderful that the community has a chance to become more aware of the options for sustainable living in the Lehigh Valley and that groups promoting sustainability have a chance to get together to build on each others efforts”. 

The local groups represented at the event are in addition to the nine vendors represented weekly at the Farmers’ Market. The Community Day will also feature live music by Crush Duo and giveaways.

The market, which has been extended to run until mid October, provides a unique shopping opportunity unequal to what customers typically find at a grocery store. At the Bethlehem Farmers’ Market, customers can sample the goods, develop relationships with the vendors, learn about unique food varieties and cooking tips, and greet their neighbors. The market supports farming and sustainability in the Lehigh Valley.

Market on the Square, the new convenience market located in Campus Square, opened last week.

Lehigh is following the successful pattern put in place by schools such as Texas A&M and Wayne State, which have bookstores and standalone convenience markets operated by Barnes and Noble. 

Steve Schatten, the new manager of the Lehigh University Bookstore, is enthusiastic about the convenience market. 

“This will allow us to offer students an increased selection of general merchandise,” he says. “We are excited about bringing in new products based on student requests and feedback.” 

Until students return, hours for Market on the Square are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once the semester starts on Aug. 25, Market on the Square will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. 

Last spring, Lehigh announced a contest for students to name the convenience market. Mark Ironside, executive director of business services, was astounded by the number of entries his department received. The winning nomination was Market on the Square, an entry submitted by College of Education graduate student and Bethlehem resident Gerry Kasten. Kasten received a gift certificate for textbooks at the bookstore. 

By opening Market on the Square, the bookstore was able to construct the Barnes and Noble Cafe on the main floor of the bookstore. The newfound space in Market on the Square for convenience items also allows an expansion on items such as organic and natural foods, energy bars, makeup and toiletries, and grocery foods. 

The Barnes and Nobel Café in the bookstore opened Aug. 11. Both the Café and Market on the Square will have grand opening celebrations sometime during the fall semester.

…faces taking shape…

Ben was featured in the Morning Call! Read about it HERE!

The Barnes and Noble Café in the Lehigh University Bookstore is scheduled to open for business on Monday, August 11, 2008.

After a month of major construction in the Lehigh University Bookstore, the Barnes and Noble Café is slated to open Monday, August 11, 2008. The Café, which is in the lower level of the Bookstore, will seat over 50 occupants and offers Starbucks regular and iced coffees and specialty drinks. Amenities of the Café include wireless internet and comfortable, spacious seating.

Opening week and until students return, hours are 8-5 pm. Once the semester starts on August 25, extended hours of operation will be 7:30 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Friday, 9:00 am through 9:30 pm on Saturdays and 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sundays.

The idea for the Barnes and Noble Café came out of a survey conducted by Lehigh University Business Services last spring. Steve Schatten, the new general manager of the Bookstore, is excited about the atmosphere the Café will generate. “We’re creating a versatile environment well suited for studying and socializing. We are excited about the possibility of using the newly created area for author events.”

To make room for the Café, convenience items were relocated into a convenience market next to Johnny’s Bagels called Market on the Square. Market on the Square is also scheduled to open sometime next week. Both locations will have grand opening celebrations sometime during the fall semester.