Senior psychology and social work student Michael Palm shows off a soon-to-be-devoured frozen yogurt creation from Triton Treats, a shop that just opened up in the Millennium Student Center. (Photos by August Jennewein)

Jaice Brown sips from his “Smooth Berry Swirl,” then pauses to assess the smoothie’s deliciousness. It’s his first visit to Triton Treats, a new and already buzzing place inside the Millennium Student Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Siva Sattaru fills a Red Mango cup with frozen yogurt.

“It’s really good,” says the senior accounting major, holding the smoothie in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. “I need to lay off the coffee now that it’s warm. This’ll help us cool down a little bit.”

Brown is one of hundreds of UMSL students and other members of the campus community who have already sampled Triton Treats since the shop opened March 30. Daily customer counts from the vendor, which serves Red Mango frozen yogurt and many other items, topped 300 people three days in a row last week.

UMSL student Samuel Choe adds toppings to his white-chocolate-flavored frozen yogurt.

“When it first opened after spring break, I went there every day,” admits sophomore Samuel Choe, who opted for the white-chocolate flavor of frozen yogurt and a variety of candy toppings this time around. “I was feeling chocolatey.”

Choe adds that he’s particularly excited about the convenient location and the fact that the shop accepts the “declining balance” feature of his on-campus meal plan as a form of payment.

Comments so far have been overwhelming positive, according to Sodexo Unit Marketing Coordinator Samantha Kheim.

“Quite yummy” is how junior education major LaPetra Harris describes her first helping of Red Mango at UMSL.

“We have brought something that can satisfy UMSL’s sweet tooth while catering to those that are health-conscious with our nonfat and low-fat yogurt, fruit smoothies and mindful Simply To Go options,” Kheim says. “The timing was really ideal with it starting to warm up outside … I have heard students and staff alike raving about how Triton Treats makes the MSC a better place.”

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Triton Treats is one of several significant updates to the student center, which is nearing its 15th birthday as a campus hub.

The UMSL Triton Store, also located on the building’s second level, has seen big changes in recent months and will celebrate its grand re-opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at 2 p.m. April 27.

“We are so happy that this project is completed,” says store manager Stephanie Eaton. “It was very much worth the months of planning and construction. The textbook floor is easier to navigate, the clothing area is brighter and better lit, the convenience area has more to offer, and TritonTech has more demos and display options … It’s really an impressive space and people seem to love the new look and feel. We hear that from the outside of the store, it looks just like a mall store.”

Sometime in the next academic year, the MSC will also add a new retail space. And a renovation to the Nosh seating area and Quarters lounge space is in the works.