The Food Hub Market, located in the Centre for Interactive Sustainability (CIRS), has extended its operating hours to Tuesday to Thursday, from 10:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Previously the market was only open until 3:30 p.m.
The change went into effect on October 10.
Nestled into a corner on the first floor of CIRS, the Food Hub Market is a student-led grocery store, providing the UBC community with a selection of groceries at affordable prices.
The market began as a nine-week pilot project in February 2022 and reopened in November. The market is organized with a student-led governance mode and is run by paid co-op students and student volunteers.
“We are grateful to our student volunteers and Student Co-op Coordinator, whose tireless efforts have made the Food Hub Market’s extended hours possible,” wrote Levonne Abshire, director of health equity, promotion, and education, in a statement to The Ubyssey.
This gratitude is echoed by the market’s customers, as well. Eleni Gamzk, a first year in UBC’s Master of Physics program said the Food Hub Market is her primary source for groceries, and appreciated the newly extended hours. “I don’t need to hurry after class to get here. So it’s really convenient and I prefer it this way,” she said.
“You can’t find food for these prices anywhere else,” said Gamzk.
In addition to expanding its availability during the day, Abshire hopes that the extended hours might encourage students to use the Food Hub Market’s adjacent tables as a meeting space, promoting a sense of community and reducing stigmas associated with food insecurity.
“By selling groceries at a lower cost and leveraging university support for space, logistical, and purchasing solutions, we believe this can elevate student leadership through a sustainable model,” wrote Abshire.
In addition to its provision of affordable groceries, the market maintains a whiteboard, adjacent to its aisles, where students can scribble in dry-erase what they might like to see stocked on the shelves.
“We continue to consult with community members, specifically those who access the Food Hub Market, to understand their needs, as well as monitoring peak demand times and preferences.”