Lovers of Slurpees have options available at the new 7-Eleven on South State: they can slurp out, or they can slurp in. That’s because unlike most 7-Elevens, which are single story and sell everything to go, this one is two stories with a forty-four-seat dining area on the second floor. There’s a big TV, wi-fi, and three huge windows fronting State Street that let in plenty of light. People can carry up any food or beverage they bought downstairs, take a load off, and eat or drink (or slurp) while they study, read, or relax with friends.
Owner Linda Russ, who owns another 7-Eleven franchise in Royal Oak, hopes students will consider this one a haven. “If their dorm’s too loud and they need someplace quiet to study, or if a bunch of friends want to come have a euchre tournament,” Russ says, they’re welcome anytime. Literally, since the place is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
Second floor aside, this looks like any other 7-Eleven you’ve ever been in: the familiar red, green, and orange color scheme, walls lined with beverage coolers, racks of every imaginable munchy, a selection of wrapped sandwiches, a hot and cold beverage station, hot pizza by the slice, shelves stacked with sundries, and most wondrous of all, Slurpees in eight–count them, eight!–different flavors. But there’s one telltale sign you’re on a college campus and not in some suburban strip mall. Most convenience stores these days have a small point-of-purchase display selling bottles of the relentlessly marketed stimulant 5 Hour Energy. The State Street 7-Eleven has a couple of shelves’ worth, along with a number of clones with names like Spike and Jacked Up.
7-Eleven, 318 S. State, 913-2076. Open 24 hours, 365 days a year. 7-eleven.com
