King Arthur Flour will likely close its Baker-Berry Library location in December, retail and cafe operations director Kelly Mousley said Monday afternoon.
Mousley said that the company’s decision resulted from tension over what services King Arthur Flour can provide. When the College selected King Arthur Flour for the space in early 2011, its menu was limited by the College’s original model for the space in Baker-Berry, a coffee and pastry bar, Lawrence said.
The contract between King Arthur Flour and the College included a clause that did not allow King Arthur Flour to sell competing food products with Novack Cafe. Mousley said that these demands did not align with the King Arthur Flour’s business plan, which includes diversification of its menu.
Dartmouth’s director of media relations Diana Lawrence and Mousley offered contradicting statements in separate interviews about the nature of King Arthur Flour's contractual relationship with the College.
Lawrence said that King Arthur Flour was in a three-year contract with the College. Since the three-year contract is coming to an end, the College had planned to accept bids for a new food vendor that would occupy the space where King Arthur Flour is currently located.
Mousley, however, said that King Arthur Flour was in indefinite contract with the College with a minimum of three years.
Lawrence said that King Arthur Flour notified the College on June 9 that it planned to cease its operation on Sept. 10, but recently told the College that the company would like to participate in the bidding process for the new venue and will continue its business in the current location until December. The process of requesting bids has not yet started.
Mousley said that King Arthur Flour will not participate in the bidding process if the College insists that vendors can only serve coffee and pastries.
Mousley said she could not provide the specifics of the King Arthur Flour’s revenue but said the company’s business model includes serving sandwiches, salads and savory options.
On a typical day, the King Arthur Flour menu may offer up to four different sandwich options, such as brie and apple or roast beef, five salads, such as Caesar and southwest chicken, and other options, such as kale slaw or baked tofu.
“We really don’t want to compromise on the experience of the service that we are offering at Baker-Berry because it has been a good experience so far and we would like to remain that way,” she said.
Lawrence said that Dartmouth Dining Services will not place a bid for the space. Students will be able to use DBA, regardless of which business eventually enters a partnership with the College, she said.
Mousley said that King Arthur Flour does not plan to launch a new branch in Hanover, but it will still cater to the region even after it departs from the town.
Dartmouth students expressed disappointment about the potential departure of King Arthur Flour and said that the products at King Arthur Flour tend to be of higher quality than those from DDS establishments.
Zach Traynor ’16 said he goes to King Arthur Flour several times each week for drinks, and occasionally for food as well.
“I think there would be a lot of people who are quite unhappy about this and would be very curious to know the exact reasoning behind King Arthur Flour’s departure,” he said.
Claire Pfister ’16 said that although she does not drink coffee, she would miss King Arthur Flour for its high-quality pastry items and relaxed atmosphere.
Students said that last year’s elimination of many of King Arthur Flour’s sandwiches and other options altered their use of the cafe.
Joe Howard ’16 said that he has not gone to King Arthur Flour in Baker-Berry since it altered its menu, but added that the main store in Norwich is still an option.
“Students with cars on campus will be most likely unaffected by this change because the real King Arthur Flour is just a short drive away,” he said. “I usually go to the real King Arthur Flour and not the campus King Arthur Flour since they’ve started to restrict what they offer on campus, like the apple cider cinnamon spread.”
DDS director David Newlove could not be reached for comment by press time as the office is on vacation. Novack Cafe manager Beth Rosenberger declined to comment. Procurement services, which will determine what will fill the new venue, could not be reached for comment by press time.
Axel Hufford contributed reporting.
