Saxby’s​ ​at​ ​the​ ​barge​ ​officially​ ​closed​ ​June​ ​of​ ​2017.​ ​The​ ​close​ ​was​ ​primarily​ ​attributed​ ​to financial​ ​reasons​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Hamilton​ ​location​ ​was​ ​not​ ​performing​ ​up​ ​to​ ​par.

​​8​ ​Fresh,​ ​a​ ​Tex​ ​Mex​ ​restaurant,​ ​officially​ ​opened​ ​on​ ​the​ ​1st​ ​of​ ​September.

Saxbys​ ​was​ ​a​ ​coffee​ ​shop​ ​located​ ​at​ ​37​ ​Lebanon​ ​street.​ ​It​ ​opened​ ​on​ ​September​ ​13th 2013,​ ​after​ ​it​ ​had​ ​taken​ ​ownership​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Barge​ ​Canal​ ​Coffee​ ​Company,​ ​which​ ​had​ ​run​ ​for nearly​ ​two​ ​decades​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​the​ ​change​ ​in​ ​management.​ ​Ever​ ​since​ ​then,​ ​Saxbys​ ​has​ ​continued to​ ​maintain​ ​the​ ​Barge’s​ ​unique​ ​atmosphere​ ​and​ ​persisted​ ​as​ ​a​ ​staple​ ​of​ ​both​ ​the​ ​Colgate,​ ​and the​ ​Hamilton​ ​experience.

Senior​ ​Marie​ ​Benton ​described​ ​Saxby’s​ ​atmosphere.

“It​ ​was​ ​a​ ​quaint​ ​but​ ​trendy​ ​coffee​ ​shop​ ​with​ ​the​ ​perfect​ ​atmosphere​ ​for​ ​meeting​ ​a​ ​friend for​ ​coffee​ ​or​ ​doing​ ​group​ ​work​ ​for​ ​studying​ ​or​ ​even​ ​just​ ​reading​ ​a​ ​book,” she​ ​said.​ ​“The​ ​coffee was​ ​also​ ​strong​ ​and​ ​reasonably​ ​priced.”

The​ ​loss​ ​of​ ​Saxbys​ ​was​ ​felt​ ​across​ ​the​ ​Colgate​ ​community.

Sophomore​ ​Mak Bridge,​​ ​a​ ​barista​ ​at​ ​Saxby’s,​ ​shared​ ​her​ ​thoughts.

“I​ ​think​ ​Saxby’s​ ​was​ ​a​ ​big​ ​part​ ​of​ ​Hamilton​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​Colgate​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​the​ ​only real​ ​coffee​ ​shop​ ​in​ ​town,”​ ​said​ Murphey.​ ​“Students​ ​studied​ ​there,​ ​professors​ ​had​ ​meetings​ ​there, children​ ​had​ ​play​ ​dates​ ​there.​ ​Someone​ ​even​ ​had​ ​a​ ​photo​ ​shoot​ ​for​ ​their​ ​wedding​ ​because​ ​it was​ ​the​ ​place​ ​where​ ​the​ ​couple​ ​had​ ​their​ ​first​ ​date.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​Saxby’s​ ​will​ ​be​ ​and​ ​already​ ​is​ ​greatly missed.”

Though​ ​Hamilton​ ​has​ ​lost​ ​a​ ​beloved​ ​coffee​ ​shop,​ ​they​ ​also​ ​welcomed​ ​8​ ​Fresh,​ ​a​ ​new Tex​ ​Mex​ ​restaurant​ ​located​ ​at​ ​22​ ​Utica​ ​Street.​ ​8​ ​Fresh​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​foods​ ​ranging​ ​from burritos​ ​and​ ​tacos​ ​to​ ​baba​ ​ghanoush​ ​and​ ​tzatziki.​ ​8​ ​Fresh​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​open​ ​a​ ​Hamilton​ ​location because​ ​they​ ​thought​ ​that​ ​it​ ​was​ ​a​ ​great​ ​town​ ​to​ ​go​ ​to.

Jordan,​ ​the​ ​current​ ​manager​ ​of​ ​8​ ​Fresh,​ ​explained​ ​why​ ​they​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​open​ ​a​ ​hamilton location.

“We​ ​thought​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a​ ​great​ ​town​ ​to​ ​go​ ​to,” he​ ​said.​ ​“The​ ​community​ ​is​ ​involved ,even​ ​the​ ​students.​ ​There’s​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​foot​ ​traffic​ ​and​ ​is​ ​a​ ​homely​ ​place​ ​to​ ​be.​ ​It’s​ ​the​ ​right​ ​fit​ ​for​ ​us”.

He​ ​went​ ​on​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​his​ ​thoughts​ ​on​ ​the​ ​restaurant’s​ ​first​ ​week.

“Its​ ​great”,​ ​he​ ​exclaimed,​ ​“Hamilton​ ​has​ ​been​ ​more​ ​than​ ​welcome​ ​to​ ​us.​ ​Everybody​ ​has been​ ​respectful”.​ ​“In​ ​the​ ​near​ ​future​ ​we’re​ ​looking​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​growing​ ​and​ ​getting​ ​our​ ​name​ ​out there.”

Students​ ​echoed​ ​his​ ​sentiments.

Sophomore Xander​ ​Berry​ ​and​ ​Murphy ​were​ ​enthusiastic​ ​about​ ​the​ ​opening.

“I’m​ ​looking​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​there​ ​finally​ ​being​ ​good​ ​mexican​ ​food​ ​in​ ​Hamilton,” Berry​ ​said.

“I’m​ ​really​ ​excited​ ​for​ ​8​ ​Fresh​ ​because​ ​they’re​ ​a​ ​local​ ​restaurant,” Murphey ​said.

​​“It’s​ ​sad​ ​that Saxby’s​ ​was​ ​unsuccessful,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​if​ ​a​ ​chain​ ​coffee​ ​shop​ ​really​ ​fit​ ​Hamilton’s​ ​vibe.​ ​I​ ​just wish​ ​8​ ​fresh​ ​had​ ​an​ ​espresso​ ​bar!” Murphy said.

The​ ​Hamilton​ ​location​ ​is​ ​8​ ​Fresh’s​ ​second​ ​location,​ ​with​ ​its​ ​first​ ​restaurant​ ​located​ ​at Clinton​ ​NY.