Daily Skiff

Pond Street Grill, a university dining facility that closed last semester, will not be re-opening as a dining facility next semester because poor business is predicted to continue, a university official said.

Director of Residential Services Craig Allen said the location was re-opened on April 1 as a study space. There are currently no specific ideas about how the space will be converted for the fall semester and what its purpose will be, he said, but he has spoken with the Residence Hall Association about the future of Pond Street Grill.

"There has been a lot of discussion about it - just no firm decisions yet," Allen said. "But it will not re-open next year as a dining facility."

RHA president Harrison Smith wrote in an e-mail that Pond Street has been an important point of interest for the committee.

"There was not enough business going through to justify keeping Pond Street open," Smith wrote. "There were several ideas thrown around from just a breakfast place to a study lounge/hang out place for the residents of Worth Hills."

Sophomore biology major Brooke Bonnesen said she thought that the lack of business at Pond Street Grill last semester was because of the changeover in payment options from a meal plan to Frog Bucks.

"Nobody wants to eat with Frog Bucks," Bonnesen said.

Sophomore advertising/public relations major Ian Cannon agreed that the use of Frog Bucks made Pond Street Grill a less accommodating option for students.

"Last year it was great," Cannon said. "Everyone ate there. The prices were a little high, but the food was good. Once they got rid of the convenience of Pond Street, it failed. We would have loved to see a swipe option there."

Senior music major Justin Brown said he thinks that both socialization and studying are a great utilization for the space.

"I think it's great that they're using this space. I mean, we have a great dining facility right here," Brown said of the Brown-Lupton University Union dining facilities.

Allen said he believes that students can benefit from the location as it stands.

"The fact is that it's a great space for students to congregate and hang out and socialize," Allen said. "We've got a pool table and a foosball table, and we've tried to make it a comfortable place for students who live in Worth Hills to hang out and study. We want students to take advantage of the space."

Allen said the study area will be open through finals week.

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