Dawn R. Schoenfeld, a Harvard Law School student, also praises the dining area.

"It's a great place to come study for a couple hours," she says. "And the deli sandwiches are like mom used to make."

In addition to serving the needs of Mid-Cambridge residents, Broadway Market also has attracted a significant number of students from the College and some of Harvard's graduate schools, Ring says.

"Most people on campus don't have cars, so until they opened up here, I used to walk all the way to Brattle Street," says Heidi M.V. Sullivan '89, who is now a Harvard Law School student. "This is so much more convenient."

One undergraduate, Matthew E. Price '97, says he is pleased by the quality service and friendly attitude of Broadway Market employees.

Several weeks ago, Price says, he was waiting in the checkout line to purchase spanikopita, a spinach pie. The cashier told him the pie cost $2.62, but Price had only $2.15 in his wallet, he says.

"I couldn't quite make it, but they said it was all right," Price says. "I'm on a tight budget, so I'll be shopping here from now on."

Bougas says such unexpected instances are all part of a day's work: "We try to cater to everyone," he says.

Of course, as Abraham Lincoln once said, you can't please all of the people all of the time.

"It would be nice if they had real mugs and silverware," Porto says, pointing to the paper cup into which her order of coffee was poured.

Ring says the market also wants to build close ties with Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, which is just one block further down the street.

"They hire lots of kids from class," says Anna Cao, a Rindge and Latin senior.

According to Bougas, Broadway Market is special because of its "competitive prices."

"We are working to be the most efficient, least expensive store in the city," Bougas says.

When asked about Broadway Market's prices, however, Schoenfeld says they are comparable to those at other Cambridge grocery stores.