Major changes came to Taylor’s campus over the summer. Though construction of the new Paul and Barbara Gentile Hall and chapel have received greater publicity, subtler changes have occurred elsewhere.
The Jumping Bean significantly rebranded over the summer. The long-standing name of The Jumping Bean has been shortened to The Bean.
Further, it not only moved to the former location of the Calling and Career Office, it also doubled in size.
With the new space, The Bean was able to expand its menu and days of operation as well. It is now open on Sundays, but its hours remain the same, closing at 6 p.m. daily and opening around 7 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends.
“When I took over in Fall 2024, I added systems into place to try and create consistency across the board,” Mason Goul, supervisor of The Bean, said.
Before construction began, they were working with Taylor and AVI Foodsystems, the university’s primary food provider, to plan out the new design for the Bean, Goul said.
The menu upgrades would not have been possible without behind-the-scenes changes. The Bean upgraded from one to three printers to print and process tickets to ensure all the orders get made properly, Goul said.
The Bean’s changes have been beneficial despite the challenges of longer hours and the creation of new menu items, Goul said. The Bean now processes approximately 775 transactions a day, up from 450 last year.
Nobody knew about these changes either. The new plan for the Bean was kept secret until the quiet reveal at Welcome Week 2026.
Though not everyone was kept in the dark about these plans, the supervisors who were told about the coming changes did not get any further details, Clara Dean, a junior social work major and Bean employee, said.
Dean appreciates the thoughtfulness that went into the new design.
“The new space is so much easier to move around in,” Dean said. “We aren’t running into each other as much, so the drinks get out quicker.”
The smaller space put The Bean at a disadvantage when dealing with large rushes of students in the mornings, Dean said. The new floor design and self-order kiosk streamlines the flow of traffic during rushes.
The old space was great from a community standpoint, giving students opportunities to have more conversations with the employees, Katie Eldridge, a sophomore chemistry major, said.
To keep up with the influx of customers, The Bean now employs approximately 70 students. It is one of the only predominantly student-operated shops on campus, Goul said.
“It is a big part of why people go to The Bean,” Eldridge said. “It is welcoming to see a face you know taking your order or making your drink.”
With all the new changes, Goul believes the possibilities are endless for The Bean. Goul, along with his team, are now able to respond to students’ needs and provide new services in the future.
The Bean hopes to continue creating a welcoming environment where students can enjoy meals, sip fun drinks and see friendly faces behind the counter.
