Quick pick-me-up: MATC’s new convenience store stocks goodies and necessities

College opens a new store on the third floor of the Student Center to better serve students

Need something sweet to eat?

Need a salty snack to tide you over?

Need something to fill your stomach while you fill your brain?

You’ll find exactly what you’re looking for at a new convenience store located on the third floor of the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Student Center (S Building), between the Student Lounge and the cafeteria.

Starting on Monday, January 27, the store will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays; and from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. The convenience store has been open sporadically since November 2024.

“It’s fitting a need for us,” said Peter J. Kraemer, the college’s director of food and beverage operations. “We’re trying out some things to see what works best. We will be trying to respond to what the people want.”

Behind swinging glass doors and a series of glass panels, the store stocks simple meals, snacks like potato chips, and various sundries, like Chapstick™. Cold soda, water and energy drinks are available along with hot coffee. The freezer case holds some frozen entrees along with ice cream bars, parfaits and other treats.

Managing it all is Aaliyah Brown, a Milwaukee native who worked as a housekeeper and letter carrier after graduating from high school in 2015. In 2017, she enrolled at MATC, where she discovered her passion for cooking and entered the Culinary Arts program.

She earned an associate degree in May 2024. While taking classes, she worked at MATC’s food pantry, operated by the Student Resource Center. After she graduated she heard about the convenience store manager position, applied and got the job.

The store is one of several major renovations, which were completed in 2024, to the third floor of the Student Center.

The college remodeled the food court, constructing a new commercial kitchen to serve students, MATC employees and the general public. The refurbished area includes several stations delivering pizza and pasta, global cuisine, ice cream, coffee, and bakery. The dining area features new flooring, new lighting, and new wall and ceiling finishes.

The college also expanded the student lounge area adjacent to the new dining area. It’s a reimagined space for students to eat, meet, talk, study, relax and play games. The window-lined space includes tables, comfortable seating, foosball and pool tables.