When is a pizza place more than just a pizza place? When it’s part of a new retail development project within walking distance of the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus. Amid much fanfare, the ThunderZone Pizza and Tap House opened its doors last week. It’s part of a building that includes storefronts for two other retail businesses.

On a lot of campuses around the country, the opening of a new pizza place wouldn’t be such a big deal. However, CSU-Pueblo’s campus sits on a hilltop in the northeast part of town, about as geographically isolated as anything can be in Pueblo. As such, it lacks some of the amenities that students expect to be part of their college experience.

No, we don’t send students off to college so they can eat pizza and drink beer. However, it’s unrealistic to expect them to spend all of their waking hours with their noses buried in books. Just like people who work 9-to-5, they need places to go and things to do when they’re not in class or studying.

Read more at The Pueblo Chieftain.