Standing behind eight people, ASU computer science junior Muhammad Lodhia waited Thursday morning to place his order at Borders Cafe on Mill Avenue.
More people joined him in line as two baristas rushed back and forth behind the counter, pulling levers and filling paper cups with teas and coffees, and then calling out the orders.
Already 22 people were sitting in the cafe at the corner of the bookstore, red Borders cups on their tables, some reading textbooks and newspapers and others typing on laptop computers.
"Sometimes I think it's [so] busy, they don't have enough staff to handle it," Lodhia said. He often comes to the cafe, as he has classes and works in the Brickyard at 699 S. Mill Ave. in downtown Tempe.
In fact, ever since the University moved eight classrooms, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the dean's office of the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering and other ASU resources into the Brickyard in August, business has been booming at the Borders cafe.
"It started the day the first class was held in the building next door, and it has stayed steady since then," said George Hodgkins, the store's sales manager.
While he said Borders corporate policy prohibits him from divulging exact sales figures, the increase in sales has been dramatic.
Busy hours at the store used to run from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., he said.
Now they run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
"We're just selling more of everything we have to offer [at the cafe]," Hodgkins said.
He said overall store traffic has increased, as well.
Hodgkins said he hasn't had to hire more people to handle the business boost, just reorganize work schedules.
During some downtime in the afternoon the previous day, Beth Randall, cafe supervisor, and Homaira Parveen, barista, said they prefer the extra customer traffic.
"It can be trying at times," Parveen said.
"But it's not anything we can't handle," Randall said, finishing the thought. "Makes the day go by quick, and it's a lot of fun."
Parveen added, "I would rather be unbelievably busy like that instead of standing around and not doing anything. That bothers me."
Reach the reporter at ilan.brat@asu.edu.
