Editorial: The Pitt News bids 7-Eleven farewell

Today is the last day Pitt students can get Slurpees, cheap coffee, pizza, cigarettes and condoms on campus, 24/7.

Pitt will open a University-owned grocery store in 7-Eleven’s place, which has a few clear positives for some students. But closing 7-Eleven is a blow to every student who studies and works late at Pitt.

The Pitt News office in the William Pitt Union rarely empties before 1 a.m. — our deadline to send pages. Nightly trips to 7-Eleven — or “Sevs,” as it’s known around our office — are as much a part of our process as editing for AP style.

The floor is usually dirty and the cashiers frequently talk on the phone as they cash people out, but that hardly matters.

There are few things more calming than sipping on a Big Gulp outside the Union — taking a break from the fourth floor where our editor-in-chief is panicking because the news editors aren’t making deadline.

And on the days when we need a little more energy to finish an article or study for a test after work, 7-Eleven is also there — with an absurdly large cup of coffee for a few bucks. And when we’re too busy that we forget to get dinner before Szechuan closes, we can run down to 7-Eleven to grab something to get us through the rest of the night.

7-Eleven has literally been the lifeblood of our paper — energizing, calming and sustaining countless classes of editors through long and stressful nights.

Walking down to Market To-Go to buy an overpriced drink from Sodexo will never compare. 7-Eleven is more convenient, open longer, has a better selection and — for anyone who doesn’t have a meal plan — isn’t a rip-off.

Having a place to buy fresh produce and meat without having to get on the bus will be nice, and the University deserves credit for seeing that need among its students. But closing 7-Eleven to do it makes no sense. Would students living on campus rather have a store that sells chicken breast and spinach, or a place for cheap snacks on their way to Hillman? Good luck to everyone who tries to cook chicken in their microwave.

So farewell 7-Eleven, The Pitt News thanks you — our office won’t be the same without Sevs runs. And if our readers notice our editorials get a little angrier, it’s because we’re missing our Big Gulps and Slurpees.