Three UNM students whose on-campus food delivery service was shut down by University officials last month have done the only thing they could to reopen their business-move it off campus.
"It was disappointing," said Elliott Paull, one of the owners of Underground Services.
But, he added, the trio has moved on and officially reopened for business Wednesday.
The group moved its business to UNM student Angelique Paull's - Elliott's sister - residence, and made her a business partner in exchange for storing their inventory at her off-campus address.
The three students said they have received a lot of support from students and faculty urging them to keep trying to establish their business. Paull said one of his business professors even made Underground Services' conflict with ARAMARK, the food service company that has the exclusive right to be an on-campus food service provider that delivers on-campus, into a lesson plan for the day's class.
The group even received advice and support from a man who runs a similar business called CollegeCatering that delivers food to sororities and fraternities at college campuses across the country.
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"We've definitely had some support," Paull said. "The demand for the service is still around."
Although the off-campus move does not make things any easier for the student-entrepreneurs, they said they have been able to successfully operate. But their biggest challenge is letting the public know that they are open for business again.
Paull and Barry Schneider, one of the business partners, said those who know they are back open are "psyched."
Last night, the group recorded $32 in gross sales, an amount they considered "not bad" for a weeknight. The only other night the group was open for business, before being told by UNM to suspend services, it recorded $80 in gross sales.
"If we can have a steady two weeks of being open, we'll start making a profit," Elliott Paull said.
Items the group sells include candy, drinks and other miscellaneous items such as lighters and rolling papers.
The group receives orders on its cell phone or from its America Online Instant Messenger account and then uses skateboards or bicycles to deliver to campus locations. Schneider said deliveries are made within 10 minutes.
The group has plans for the future of Underground Services including collecting customer feedback and constantly updating its menu, buying uniforms, advertising and possibly hiring employees to deliver all orders. The group has also created its own logo and will begin producing it as soon as it has enough money.
The students also look forward to working for their own company throughout their college careers.
"Be your own business, that's the way to do it," Paull said.
Orders for items can be placed at 319-0475 or by instant messaging the group at AOL Instant Messenger UNM undergroundservices. The group's menus can be requested by contacting it at UNMunderground@hotmail.com.
Schneider said the group eventually wants to make Underground Services a national chain servicing college campuses across the western United States.
But for now, the student business owners have to settle for making their business grow in the shadow of ARAMARK.
"We're David, they're Goliath," Paull said.
