Whether their favorite morning beverage is a simple iced coffee or a caramel Frappuccino with extra caramel flavoring, students have another option of where to buy their drinks.

Starbucks opened catty-corner from the Memorial Union at 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Several ISU students were the lucky first customers for the new branch, located next to the recently constructed 23 Twenty apartments.

Adam Goldberg, senior in industrial design; Ethan Lindley, senior in marketing; George Melookaran, senior in mechanical engineering; and Blake Singbush, sophomore in psychology, were the first in line.

Singbush said it was Lindley’s idea to go to the opening because the group frequents Starbucks four to five times a week.

With blankets over their shoulders and sleep still in their eyes from the 4:15 a.m. wake-up call, they stood in line waiting for their first drinks.  

It seems as though there were no regrets for this early morning coffee run.

“Oh, it was so worth it,” Singbush said. “I’ve had so many people come up to me and comment that they were jealous.”

Neighbor to the new store is yet another addition to the businesses of Ames, the retail store Barefoot Campus Outfitter.

After talking to store manager Erin Wittle, Barefoot hasn’t seen much change in business since Starbucks opened.

“I think it’s too soon to tell, honestly, Wittle said. Business has been really steady and we haven’t been open that long either.”

Barefoot Outfitter opened two weeks before Starbucks on Aug. 15.

A self-proclaimed Starbucks connoisseur and ISU freshman in hospitality management, Kia Richards, responded positively to the location.

“I think the location is really good, whether you live in an apartment or Greekland or the residence halls, it’s close to all of those and campus,” Richards said.

Starbucks includes indoor and outdoor seating for customers as well as free Wi-Fi.

The new Starbucks hours are from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.