DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona Cancer Center employee and May biochemistry graduate Jessica Nagel checks out the selection of shoes at Waltz, a shoe store that opened on East University Boulevard over the summer.

As a new school year starts, restaurants and shops along East University Boulevard are as alive with activity as ever. There are the usual sounds of live music from Frog & Firkin and crowds of students looking for something to eat, a cup of coffee or a place to get a drink.

This semester, students will have a few new options as they wander along University, as a new restaurant, coffee shop and retail store add variety to the existing shops and restaurants.

The Kababeque Indian Grill made its debut July 1 just west of Gentle Ben's on University Boulevard. The healthy Indian restaurant uses traditional cooking methods to bring students different and healthy food to eat while enjoying the Indian motif and music.

Saurabh Sareen, the owner of Kababeque, said since the opening, students and faculty seem to really enjoy the new restaurant.

"This restaurant will add variety to University," Sareen said. "The food is cooked very healthy. We use a clay oven, and all of our equipment comes from India."

Sareen owns another Indian restaurant in town, The New Delhi Palace, and he is excited to now have an Indian restaurant on University Boulevard.

Waltz Shoe Store is a new retail store on University that opened at the end of July. Waltz has helped add a bit of variety to the existing retail shops by offering the only shoe store on University Boulevard.

Waltz is located between Divaz and Chen's Café on the south side of the street. The colorful store has shoes in a wide variety of styles and colors.

Irene Ayala, the manager of Waltz, said now that school has started, business is picking up. "We have really good expectations," Ayala said. "There is not too much competition since the other stores' main market is clothes."

Allison Hamila, an incoming freshman, said she likes the University Boulevard area and has tried many of the old shops and restaurants. She looks forward to trying the new businesses in the area.

"I have never eaten Indian food," Hathila said. "Having an Indian food restaurant here might tempt me to try it."

Despite possible competition, the other businesses welcome more variety to the shops and restaurants on University Boulevard.

Khaled Bamyeh, the manager at Sinbad's Fine Mediterranean Cuisine, said though business at his restaurant might slow down for a day or two while people try the new restaurants, ultimately the new businesses bring more people to University Boulevard, and in turn, bring him more business.

"We always like varieties of businesses," Bamyeh said. "We would like to see more retail shops, though."

Sinbad's has been in business for 10 years and is located behind the Starbucks Coffee shop.

The Espresso Bar coffee shop will open on University Boulevard in three weeks. The Espresso Bar will be located on the south side of University across the street from Chipotle.