Nor Osborne, Features Editor–
“What’s your Chipotle order?” has been the question of the week, following the grand opening of a Chipotle in Granville.
On Feb. 24, Chipotle opened its doors, staking its claim as the only chain fast food establishment in town. The restaurant is a part of the new Mill District development project, nestled in the space between the Granville Fire Department and River Road.
The casual dining spot serves Mexican inspired cuisine in a build-your-own approach. The dining room is set up in an industrial style, lowing hanging light bulbs over wood tables covered in shiny aluminum next to a black and white abstract mural and large glass walls. The new location also includes a drive through lane, a feature rare in Granville, due to previous zoning code restrictions.
Behind the counter, Selena Mendez ‘25 has taken on the role of manager for the new location.
“I found out about the possibility of a new Chipotle about a year and a half ago. It was a long time coming, with Chipotle really trying to convince the village to let them open a store in town,” Mendez said. “The actual process of building and hiring started after the summer, which is when it started to become public knowledge.”
Mendez previously managed the Chipotle in Newark, working at the location for the last four years.
“Moving from managing the Newark Chipotle to the Granville one has been really cool. Already, I’ve started seeing familiar faces come in, a lot of my friends, and a lot more people that I know. So many people I know have been coming in because they either really love Chipotle or want to come support me, which both are really nice to see,” Mendez said.
“It’s been really interesting to see my two worlds merging together. Before, I felt that there were two parts of me: Chipotle Selena and Denison Selena, and not a lot of people at Denison knew about the Chipotle side of me,” said Mendez. “It’s been really cool to get recognition from my peers, with people discovering that this has been something I’ve been doing throughout my entire Denison career. It’s not something I want to hide. I’m really quite proud of that side of me.”
Members of the Granville community and Denison students alike have flocked to the new location, forming long lines out the door.
Noah Jean-Baptiste ‘25 and Sofia Dininni ‘27 grabbed dinner on Feb. 28. Munching on burritos at the shiny, aluminum, tables, they discussed the new location.
“I’m so excited for this. Chipotle is my favorite chain restaurant ever!” Jean-Baptiste said.
“It seems like a very chill and fun environment, and it’s definitely more convenient to have a place like this in town, but to me at least it feels a little out of place,” Dininni said. “I feel like we have so many local places, adding a chain as big as Chipotle feels a little foreign.”
Mendez would like to remind the Denison community to treat the Chipotle workers with respect when they visit.
“Please be kind to the workers. Treat us like your peers, I mean some of us really are your peers,” Mendez said. “Just be respectful, we’re really trying our best back there. At the end of the day, we’re all human, right?”