Thank you for sharing! We looked at UCM 5 years ago when my oldest was applying. We had heard that the new PhDs were heading there to teach and do *research because it was the land of opportunity.
We were disappointed by the lack things to do off campus. We weren’t looking for a college town like Westwood, Isla Vista or Davis but wanted a pizza place, burger joint or coffee house where students hung out. We would have settled for a grocery store where students shopped.
I posted about this in another thread and someone commented about the socio-economics of the students and the community. While it may be difficult for a mom & pop business to open, I feel that it would be smart for the university to build an area for students to hang out and congregate off campus. If you build it, they will come. 
If your son ends up enrolling at UCM, please stick around and give us updates his experience.