The quiet hum of blenders making smoothies is an ordinary noise that students expect and welcome as they enter Wilson Recreation Center on West Campus.
Other students on East Campus may also hear similar sounds from a juice bar in the near future as they work out in Brodie Recreation Center.
Due to Quenchers' success since its opening five years ago, Jim Wulforst, director of dining services, has recently been investigating the prospect of opening another Quenchers in Brodie, which may open in fall 2004.
Wulforst is exploring the available space in Brodie and estimating the cost of the project until the end of the semester.
"We're looking into it now because it takes a while to get things going. We're looking at the feasibility," Wulforst said. "If we get approval, [the construction of Quenchers] would be done over the summer for the fall semester."
Much of the success of Quenchers may be owed to the efforts of Jack Chao, manager of both Quenchers and Grace's Cafe. Chao took over the operation four and half years ago from a different manager and said that his decision to bring in a full line of Gatorade, smoothies, supplements and energy bars greatly increased sales.
"[Quenchers' previous manager] was only bringing in $600 dollars a day," Chao said. "We're about 400 percent over that, and that's just an average day. It's not even our record."
Chao said he regularly sees the same customers at least once a day and said that some students even walk all the way over to Wilson just to sip a smoothy.
Opening a second operation in Brodie has been a goal for both Chao and Wulforst as Quenchers has proven its success on West.
"We were looking at East three years ago and have always been toying around with that idea," Chao said. "In the late afternoon, there are tons of people in Wilson, so a lot [of people] go to East and they want something more lively than vending machines."
The Quenchers in Brodie would offer the same products and would also be under the direction of Chao.
"Students tell me that [Quenchers] is a great concept and do not understand why there is not one on East," Wulforst said.
Chao said he feels Quenchers' location provides a pleasant atmosphere and depends upon the student interaction that flourishes there. "The impression I have is that students come here to relax and to take a break from studying. It does have an impact on students' lives," he said.
Freshman and member of the Duke Women's Lacrosse team Meg Ford frequents both gyms on East and West and said she feels that Quenchers is an important attraction to Wilson as well as a necessary addition to Brodie.
"I think that putting a Quenchers in Brodie is a great idea because everyone will definitely buy their fruit and smoothie products," Ford said. "We don't have a place on East like that to grab something quick to go and Quenchers is a really popular place."
Quenchers on West is open seven days a week from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. although Chao has recently been trying to start operations between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. on weekdays to target those students who have classes in Wilson.
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