It was almost 100 degrees outside when nursing freshman Sharelle Osman walked back from a trip to the nearest Wal-Mart, trying to juggle shopping bags and a cumbersome new printer.
"We took the bus there," said Osman, who lives in the Residential Commons at the Downtown campus.
Many other students also living in the Residential Commons downtown face the same problem when buying groceries. There are no grocery stores within walking distance from campus.
"[We pay] $1.50 for a soda from the vending machine," biochemistry freshman Imanibom Etukeren said.
Nursing freshman Lauren Harley said because she does not have a car, she has to rely on other people to drive her to the closest grocery store.
"It's also hard to eat out around here because none of these places take M&G [Maroon and Gold dollars]," Harley added.
Assistant Director for Student Engagement Mary Kay Harton said most of the businesses around campus have showed interest in establishing a partnership with ASU in order to attract students.
"Many restaurants, vendors and even the movie theater at Arizona Center are getting set up to accept Sun Dollars," Harton said.
Wellington Reiter, dean of the College of Design, said that ASU has a commitment to bringing more food-related businesses to the Downtown-campus area.
"It's good for the city, and it's also good for the students," Reiter said. "We're all in it together."
Jason Harris, acting deputy director at the Downtown Development Office for the city of Phoenix, said a new project that would bring an AJ's Fine Foods grocery store to the downtown area would soon be approved.
Harris said the new AJ's would be located at Central Avenue and Washington Street, about four blocks from the Downtown campus.
Harris also said other grocery stores with more affordable prices for students will soon come to the area.
"We know [AJ's Fine Foods] is a higher-end grocery store," Harris said. "Other grocer-type businesses are also to come along to the area."
The project is expected to be completed in 2009.
Reach the reporter at: amanda.soares@asu.edu.
