Whether you’re waking up to a bird-chirping alarm at 8 a.m. or a somewhat rude door slam at 1 in the afternoon, many Bulldogs can agree there is only one way to start the day: a good cup of coffee.

On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Northern Shores Coffee Shop, located on the lower level of Kirby Plaza, opened its doors to students, staff and faculty for the first time in the 2020-21 academic year. However, coffee pick-up looks a little different this year with an online ordering system through GrubHub, an online ordering platform. 

Maggie McLeod-Shovein, Assistant Director of Business and Strategy at UMD, spearheaded the integration of GrubHub and Northern Shores. 

“When it came down to the options [of how to open the store] it was about being user friendly for both us and our guests...and keeping everyone physically distanced safely,” McLeod-Shovein said.

The coffee shop is open Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will remain closed on weekends. Jodie, a Northern Shores employee, shared details of her experience.

“The top of every hour is the busiest,” Jodie said. “There are fewer people on campus and less business than usual, but business is doing pretty well.”

This past week, the coffee shop has opened its “Grab & Go” section which is home to small sandwiches, healthy snacks and bottled water and juices for a quick lunch on the go. Bagels and pastries are also available and make a nice breakfast or afternoon snack.

As if the variety of snacks and pastries wasn’t enough to get the taste buds jumping, Northern Shores also offers a wide selection of hot and cold specialty drinks. Between their locally-sourced gourmet drip coffee, dirty chai lattes and strawberry banana smoothies, it’s no wonder their lines are usually out the door!

To experience the flavors of the Northern Shores Coffee Shop first hand, download the GrubHub app on any smartphone and set up an account today. From there, go to the settings menu, select “Campus Dining” for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, add a UCard, and get started with your first order! 

For more information go to www.d.umn.edu/dining-services/meal-plans-dining-dollars/grubhub.