For some students at USC, trying to find healthy food that fits into their diet can be difficult. Either by choice or by circumstance, some students follow special diets, such as vegetarians or vegans.
For students like first-year history student Xavier shaw say maintaining a vegan lifestyle has been a constant challenge while managing his milk and egg allergies.
“Because I live in Capstone, Gibbes downstairs has very limited vegan eating options,” Shaw said. “I think the most common vegan option on campus is vegan chicken tenders, but they’re just awful ... Honestly, at that point, I just end up eating real meat because the vegan meat is so bad that it makes me feel sick.”
For other students that share similar experiences, the Rosewood Mini Market on Main Street may provide more options. An extension of Rosewood Market, Columbia's first vegetarian restaurant and health food store, the mini market will offer healthy options for those who live nearby.
Rosewood Market's story dates to the 1970s when it opened as Columbia's first vegetarian restaurant before evolving into the natural market it is today, specializing in organic produce, locally sourced goods, and items that promote healthy eating. The market additionally offers grab and go meals, snacks, and beverages convenient for those in a hurry.
Now owned and operated for the past 10 years by Bryan Tayara and his wife Stephanie Tayara, the business is entering a new chapter with the launch of the mini market.
The idea of opening a smaller second store was inspired by the convenience and community feel of corner stores in larger cities, Bryan Tayara said.
“We like to travel to Europe, we go to New York and LA ,” Bryan Tayara said. “I think I just love the little small corner grocery stores that they have there. It always was attractive to me because it served such a good purpose, such a big purpose in these densely populated areas.”
Bryan Tayara said he sees the new downtown location as more than a grocery store; it is a place for people to interact with others in their community.
“We're a community hub, so we are where people who really care about their health and wellbeing come and bump into each other," Bryan Tayara said. "It's a place where you can come and interact with a community, and it just so happens that we promote a healthy lifestyle.”
The market sits on Main Street, a spot where both residents and students pass by on the way to class, the gym, or other parts of campus.
“Imagine living upstairs and you want something to eat,” Bryan said. “You've got to go down, get in your car and drive to the grocery store. Well, now you don't have to do that. Now you can come down. We’ll have a little bit of everything.”
Stephanie Tayara went on to discuss the challenges of opening a second, smaller business.
"The biggest thing is navigating as a small business. The business license process and what goes into that," Stephanie Tayara said, "What all do you need? And It varies depending upon your business and how you operate. So that's probably the biggest thing."
The owners said the community's support has kept them motivated while they prepare to open. Benefitting from the reputation of their other location, their familiarity will help promote the new market, Bryan Tayara said.
“We have the paper on the windows so nobody can see us, but people were walking by and they (say), 'Oh, Rosewood Market. I love Rosewood Market,'" Bryan Tayara said. "So it's cool, I think people are super excited that we're coming, and that feels good."
Student feedback will play a large part in determining what the store offers, Bryan Tayara said. From quick affordable meals to specialty items that aren’t available on campus, he said he hopes this market will become a staple shop.
“I would love to have some input from people in the area (about) what they want to see,” Bryan Tayara said. “It's a whole new demographic, it's a new location. We're going to put things on the shelf that we think will sell or that are popular at our original location and that may or may not be true here.”
Shaw said what stands out to him is the chance to have a healthy, more student-accessible store.
“Assuming it's not too expensive, I think that would be a great option for already existing vegetarians ... and transitioning ones like myself," Shaw said.
The plan of building a store focused on the needs of students and nearby residents highlights the broader challenges some face with campus dining. For Shaw, this isn't an issue about what food is available to students, but what food truly supports their day to day lives.
“I’m not going to go around crying that there's food discrimination here because I make do, and I'm fine. It gets me through the day,” Shaw said. “But I think that one thing we take for granted as a school and as students is that our brains need fuel, and it's not just the amount of fuel we have, it's the quality of the fuel.”
The new mini market is set to open in early October at 601 Main St.