Mario Café is Open for Business

Jan 20

Jan 20 Mario Café is Open for Business

The Mario Café is open for business in the Cayan Library. The official grand opening of the café took place at 10 am on January 18th, with short speeches from both President Bahgat Sammakia and Rudy D’Amico, a relative of Albert B. Mario, the longtime faculty member and East Utica native who the café is named after.

Photo courtesy of Tucker Mogren, Genesis Yearbook

The Mario Café is a cozy place where students can get coffee, tea, a multitude of deserts, and some light snacks including sandwiches and yogurt. Everything offered at the café is from a New York vendor, as Sodexo is really trying to focus on bringing in local and statewide products. There is a large, beautiful new seating area outside of the café where students can hang out and relax in the library. There are whiteboards, tables, comfy chairs, and lots of space.

This café is meant to honor the legacy of a longtime SUNY Poly faculty member, Albert Mario. Mario joined the faculty when SUNY Poly was Upper Division College in the old mill building on Canal Street in Utica. Mario established many important aspects of the business program, including the Small Business Development Center and the Small Business Institute. We will be going more in-depth into the life and legacy of Albert Mario in an upcoming article.

The Mario Café will be open Monday-Thursday from 9 am to 7 pm, Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. It will be closed on Saturday.