Lamar Dining will host a grand opening of the newly renovated Brooks-Shivers Dining Hall, Sept. 4. The event will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:45 a.m.
“We wanted to create a theme that the students can most relate to," Bryce Sinclair, senior director of dining, said. "The same constant in everyone's life is food. Our vision was to create a place where students can form lifelong friendships while enjoying great cuisine at what we’re now calling the 'Social House.'"
With the renovations complete, the dining hall features a brighter, more open design, Sinclair said, transforming the space into a welcoming environment for eating, studying, and socializing.
“We replaced all of the flooring and furniture and opened up the servery to give it a more modern, accessible feel,” Sinclair said. "The new lighting, fresh paint and updated graphics package all come together to create a whole new atmosphere."
To celebrate the grand reopening, Lamar Dining has planned a variety of activities.
“We’ve got inflatables, snow cones, games to win prizes, and some very special guests who will be helping our staff serve food,” Sinclair said. “Big Red and Lou will even make an appearance during the first hour.”
Several campus leaders are set to participate in the grand opening, including LU President and first lady Jaime and Stacey Taylor, LU CFO Mark Robinson, chief information officer Patrick Stewart, and Freddie Titus, vice president for Student Affairs and Strategic Initiatives.
The grand opening will also unveil several new menu items.
"A couple of highlights will be a Cajun blackened chicken pizza, Rajin’ Cajun shrimp & sausage pasta, a new Cardinal Cheesesteak, street tacos, and a ramen station,” Sinclair said.
Jennifer Melnychuk, Chartwells marketing manager, said the reopening has been a multifaceted effort.
“We’ve been reaching students through social media, dining events, and by connecting with student organizations across campus,” she said. “We even worked with student graphic artists to design some of the new pieces.”
The dining hall has been open since the semester started and students are already reacting to the changes.
“It feels a lot brighter in there now, and I’m seeing more food options available all the time,” Christopher Roland, Hamshire junior, said. "The new setup makes the space feel livelier, and I think that’s going to improve the dining experience."