By Daniel Guido
As we kick off a new year at Binghamton University, many of us are falling back into familiar routines: settling into dorms or apartments, navigating campus, and frequenting the dining halls and MarketPlace. For newcomers, it’s a fresh introduction to Binghamton’s dining options, each with its pros and cons. Adjusting to our unique meal plan, which sets us apart from other SUNY schools, is part of the experience and shock for many. With those new to the school exploring the variety of on-campus dining spots, it’s a great time to reflect on how these offerings have evolved over the years.
Many of the dining options on campus are relatively new compared to Binghamton University’s long history, which dates back to 1946. The current Marketplace, for instance, opened in January 2014 after an extensive eighteen-month renovation project. The Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center (C4 dining hall), was completed in 2012 as part of the Binghamton East Campus Housing Project. Additionally, the Hinman dining hall underwent a redesign and reopened in Fall 2021. It is interesting to see how the campus has been modernizing over the past decade while also analyzing and remembering what came before these changes.
The Marketplace, located in the Binghamton University Union, offers a diverse array of dining options, including 2nd Heaven, Boar’s Head Deli, Breakfast and Beyond, Chick-N-Bap, CopperTop Pizzeria, Hissho Sushi, Mein Bowl, NY Street Deli, Quesera, Royal Indian, Shake Smart, Subway, and Tully’s. Many of these establishments have become staples at Binghamton and are popular places to eat with friends on campus. However, since the 2014 renovation, many restaurants have cycled through the Marketplace. The most recent change was to Red Mango, known for its frozen yogurt, which was replaced by Shake Smart in Fall 2023. Pandini’s was a restaurant replaced by CopperTop in 2017, and Subway took over from SubConnection. Cafe Spice and Moghul Fine Indian Cuisine were replaced by Royal Indian. Tully’s replaced an establishment known as The Diner in 2015. The vegetable-based stations, Garden Toss and Farmer’s Field, eventually became Quesera in 2022. Prior to Quesera, the only Mexican-based restaurant in the Marketplace was Wholly Habaneros which was replaced in 2016 by Chick-N-Bap. Additionally, a convenience store once stood between Hissho Sushi and SubConnection before Subway’s installation in the MarketPlace. These are just a few examples of the Marketplace’s evolution from 2014 to the present day in 2024. Recent alumni may recall many of these previous dining options from their time at Binghamton.
The Marketplace in the Union wasn’t the only dining area to undergo significant changes; the dining halls also experienced major updates, with the most notable being the redesign of Hinman Dining Hall. Before the renovation began in 2019, Hinman featured both a Starbucks and a Subway. These two began operating in 2016 after a grand opening. At that time, Hinman also was a part of the Nite Owl program, the popular late-night option now available only at Appalachian and C4 dining halls. Although the selection at Hinman was relatively limited, Starbucks and Subway operated until midnight. The extensive renovation of the then 55-year-old dining hall has modernized the space, retaining Starbucks and adding new options like Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, with Subway being relocated to the MarketPlace in 2019. While the renovation brought a modern dining experience to Hinman College, it also meant the loss of Nite Owl, requiring students to walk to Appalachian or C4 for late-night dining options. It seems for every gain, we also lose something.
This brief overview of the evolution of food options at Binghamton University offers just a glimpse into the many changes that have reshaped the campus landscape over time. Future research could broaden this examination to include other significant changes that have occurred on campus—changes which have made certain parts of campus appear almost unrecognizable to long-time alumni. It would be interesting to hear from students and alumni if they believe some of these changes have been a net benefit or negative. However, through all the changes that occurred with the foodstations in the MarketPlace, one thing has remained consistent: Mein Bowl Mary has been going strong for over ten years.
Thank you to Binghamton Pipe Dream for providing much-needed sources on the topic through past online articles.