Your Guide to RIT's On-Campus Stores

If you're living in RIT housing that has a kitchen, you may be wondering if there's an easy way to get the things you need without always having to drive to Walmart or another local grocery store. While there are tons of shops around RIT, going to them—especially if you don't have a car—can take a bit of planning. So what if you realize you've run out of pasta sauce right before you finish cooking a dish?

RIT has two markets where you can grab food. Instead of the usual dining halls, where you're served food to eat immediately, the markets offer food you can cook, keep in your dorm, or just snack on over time—things like chips, crackers, popcorn, pasta, sauces, soups, and more.

Despite both having a similar purpose, there are a few differences between RIT's two markets: The Corner Store and The Market at Global Village. 

Location

These two stores are, in fact, almost exactly on opposite sides of campus! The Corner Store is located on the dorm side of campus within the tunnels, while The Market is located at Global Village. This tends to make it so that students in the dorms, such as freshmen, have an easier time getting to the Corner Store, while students in Global Village have an easier time walking to The Market.

Snacks

The offerings are similar in each store and do change from time to time, but I generally see a couple of differences with the snacks. I've found that The Market tends to sell different chips than the Corner Store. Sometimes microwavable popcorn is available at one but not the other. Seasonal snacks tend to be available in both locations, but The Market is where you're more likely to find things you have to bake—such as cake mixes.

Meals

The most important category (I know, I know—snacks are good too). This is where the biggest difference lies. The Corner Store, located on the dorm side where kitchens are less prominent, has a larger focus on microwavable foods and instant meals that can be made quickly with water and a microwave. The Market focuses more on things you need to cook, such as non-instant ramen noodles, pasta, frozen foods, spices, and more. 

So what do I do if I need something?

Most of the time, it comes down to whether or not I want to make the walk. If I know the Corner Store has something that isn't at The Market, I can spend time walking over to the dorm-side tunnels and back. If you're closer to the dorm side but have access to a kitchen, maybe you want to walk over to Global Village to buy some things you can bake. It just depends on the walk time and closing time of the stores! Keep those in mind so you don't make the walk only to find the store's closed. Enjoy these stores when you want a break from the dining halls!