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A sign announcing the replacement of the ASUCLA-run Tropix by the chain Jamba Juice sits in front

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Even at 10 a.m. on a Thursday, the line to order at Jamba Juice in Ackerman Union extended well beyond the smoothie store’s doors. Over the past school year, more brand-name stores, including Jamba Juice and Taco Bell, have opened on campus, while independent tenants such as Tropix and Coop’s Pizza have closed.

Jesse Chen, a second-year electrical engineering student whose favorite smoothie is Strawberry Surf Rider, said he thinks it was a good idea to offer Jamba Juice on campus because of the convenience to students and because it is a well-known name brand.

“Students trust what they’ve tried,” he said. “A lot of it goes by word-of-mouth, at least for your first experience.”

Roy Champawat, associate director of operations and business developments at UCLA Restaurants, said the Associated Students UCLA decided to bring in Jamba Juice instead of renovating Tropix because of Jamba Juice’s popularity.

“Some brands and concepts are well-received, and the Jamba Juice has clearly been embraced,” Champawat said. “Jamba Juice had done a great job at developing the smoothie concept and seemed like a great partner for us.”

In the few months that Jamba Juice has resided in the Ackerman Union, the smoothie store has received substantially more business than Tropix had, said Stephanie Otsang, building manager at ASUCLA.

“Even though (Jamba Juice) is more expensive, it seems that people will still go there over Tropix,” Otsang said.

One reason students prefer Jamba Juice is that people perceive it as a healthier choice than other brands, said Zeenat Bhamani, a second-year biology student whose favorite smoothie is Chocolate Moo’d.

“Nowadays our youth is into being health conscious, so that’s why it’s so popular,” she said.

Taco Bell, whose contract was not renewed in 2004 because it purchased tomatoes from a source that allegedly exploited laborers, has also been successful since it returned to campus last fall.

But according to Jose Ramirez, the district manager of the Cooperage, some believe the absence of Coop’s Pizza, which closed its doors to make room for Taco Bell, has been a loss for the campus eatery.

“(Students and alumni) miss Coop’s Pizza, which was here when the Cooperage opened in 1981, especially around basketball season when the alumni come to visit,” he said.

But Champawat said that although brand-name stores like Jamba Juice and Taco Bell have been successful, some independent stores on campus have been around for decades and are still thriving.

“Kerckhoff Coffeehouse dates back to 1976 and predates the Starbucks craze, but it’s still doing very well,” he said, adding that this year the coffeehouse recorded record numbers of customers.

Champawat also said ASUCLA surveys have shown that students prefer a mix of both well-known brand names and independent stores on campus.

He said students should expect further changes to the campus restaurant scene, including the addition of a health food bar in the space vacated by Tropix, slated to open in fall quarter.

Champawat said the Cooperage will also undergo renovations in the near future, with plans to update and modernize the equipment at the Great American Roadside Grill, bring in a new cafe tentatively called Bruin Buzz, and to update the menu at the sandwich shop.

“We are trying to move it forward as quickly as we can,” he said. “It is the next thing in line but it’s hard to set timelines. It’s a work in progress.”