Due to Lincoln’s convenient location within the heart of Portland, students often use local stores as a extension of the campus. Two of the most commonly visited stores are Go Foods Store, best known as Eastside, and Westside Market.

Many students have adopted a preference for one over the other, so the Cardinal Times decided to explore which market Lincoln students liked better, and why.

Westside Market, located on Southwest 14th Avenue between Salmon and Taylor Streets, is slightly closer to Lincoln, allowing for a quicker trip off campus to get snacks – something useful during a short break in between classes. This leads many students to shop at Westside over Eastside simply due to lack of time.

Eastside’s location on Southwest Jefferson Street (paradoxically, further west of Lincoln than Westside) – near Starbucks, Bellagios and other lunch shops – brings in many students as well.

“It’s close to other food I can get, if I just want a drink,” one response said.

The cordiality of the employees at each store is also a factor. Junior Julia Ziegler prefers Westside Market, because “the owners are just so kind and welcoming, I always have great conversations with them.”

Many Lincoln students agreed with Ziegler’s thoughts. According to a poll taken by the Cardinal Times that included 109 students, 93.9 percent of students prefer Westside Market over Go Foods Store.

There was a common thread throughout the responses. “Location, the people are also super friendly and care about the students and community,” said one anonymous survey response.

Of the 109 responses, 53.7 percent said they went to Westside at least one school day a week while 7.8 percent said they went everyday.

Senior Isaac Baker, expressed his satisfaction with both stores. “Eastside is great in all,” he said, but “[I] have to pick Westside, the people are great to talk to, it’s the place to be.”

Both stores are important within Lincoln’s food options for students and useful to have. For many there may be no personal issue with either stores, but they find better location and cordiality at Westside Market.

94 percent of students prefer Westside over Eastside
54 percent of students go to Westside at least once per week