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Cardinal Cash: A success for businesses

Construction  on the Health Professions Building on campus isn’t keeping students  from using Cardinal Cash at the five businesses accepting it in the  village. Hotbox Pizza, Pita Pit, Jimmy Johns, Two Cats and Subway are  the restaurants accepting Cardinal Cash as payment for meals.

“The  village is kind of an isolated area from campus and especially with the  construction down the street now...We’ve been kind of cut off from the  campus a little bit and I think that it (Cardinal Cash) helps draw  people down to the village,” said Owner of Pita Pit, Randy Martin.

Many  Freshman have meal plans and tend to eat on campus. However, with  restaurants accepting Cardinal Cash it’s encouraging students to venture  out and into the community.

“Obviously  I was a student at one time and that’s how when I lived on campus  that’s how all my meals were paid for, so I would have never gone and  spent money at a restaurant,” said Hotbox Owner, Suzanne Flynn. However,  now students have more of an incentive to visit businesses in the  village.

The  initial start up fee for businesses is $250. Then businesses must pay  an ongoing service fee of $30 per month.Flynn said when her husband  first heard about the program he thought the cost was $250 per month and  was still eager to have Hotbox be a part of the program. She said when  she told him that the monthly fee was only $30, he was definitely on  board. Flynn said the program is paying for itself already in the early  stages.

“We’re  just really happy with the program. I think it’s a great opportunity  that Ball State has provided to some of the companies that are you know  kind of intermingling with their population and I think it’s a great  sign of partnership and prosperity really for the town of Muncie,” she said.

Hotbox  Pizza accepts Cardinal Cash on deliveries too. Just call the store to  place your delivery and say you’re using Cardinal Cash.