Aubrey Roché / The Mossy Log
Iconic undergraduate campus landmark no more due to renovation, Trail Room services expanded
This fall, students have grappled with the absence of the popular Maggie’s cafe, often used by students as a destination for meal swipes, study sessions and late night rendezvous. Due to renovations of the Templeton Student Center, which have ushered in a number of changes to student life, school administrators decided to reallocate Maggie’s espresso machines and deli coolers to the Trail Room, which has been expanded into a brand new “Pio Pub.”
Although students have been able to purchase individual snack and beverage items since Sept. 2, the Trail Room did not offer dining services until Sept. 13, when it served lunch for the first time. According to Bon Appétit General Manager Ryan Jensen, they are hoping to be at full-capacity by next week.
“We are working on stress testing the Trail Room (today at lunch in fact) with hours to increase through this week as we continue to fill in staff and get them trained,” Jensen said via email. “The market is on the same timetable and we hope to be close to full regular hours by next week.”
Jensen notes that meal equivalencies will be an option for students who are not able to come during the typical dining hours. Aside from that, there will be no major changes tohow meal plans and flex points are used.
In the past few months, students have had time to reflect on the significance of Maggie’s to campus life. One such student is Olive Savoie ’23, who worked at Maggie’s through much of 2021. Having spent months taking orders and chatting with the customers, the cafe will always hold a special place in their heart.
“Working at Maggie’s was great, it’s my favorite place I’ve worked!” Savoie said. “I loved getting to know my co-workers behind the bar. We got to play our own music, and chat in between taking peoples’ orders.
According to Savoie, Maggie’s was a place where students could freely come together, enjoying the quaint atmosphere and tasty beverages.
“Maggie’s was special for a lot of reasons,” Savoie said. “It was cozy and comfortable, with couches and warm lighting which made for a safe and soothing place for students to study, hang out with friends or just enjoy a nice warm drink. It was an important place on campus where we could find late night snacks, cafe drinks and sandwiches. To me, it was special because it fostered community.”
Maggie’s will make its return this fall as a student study area. Later in the semester, it will be used for campus staff that were relocated due to the Stewart-Odell renovation. To honor its namesake, Margaret “Maggie” Murdy, Lewis & Clark will name the plaza between East and Roberts halls Maggie’s Courtyard.
Eventually, the school hopes that the Pio Pub, like Maggie’s, can be a social hub of sorts for students. Its reopening will see the space being used as a “cafe or lounge space by day and a poetry lounge or concert venue by night,” according to the Fall 2021 issue of the L&C Magazine. A coffee bar will also be available every single day, as well as late-night services from 8 to 10 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Jensen said that the Bon Appétit is encouraging all students to apply for a position in the Trail Room or Templeton market, which will be located just around the corner from the LC Bookstore. They are still waiting for confirmation on whether the Bon Appetit can serve alcoholic beverages in the Trail Room.
“We are waiting for the OLCC to review our application and grant approval for full beer and wine service in the Trail Room,” Jensen said via email. “There is still a delay in processing requests due to COVID, but they have estimated some time in October.”
When the Pio Pub eventually opens full-time, its dining hours will range from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and 5 to 8 p.m. for dinner. For students in need of more immediate food options, the Dovecote, which is attached to the Albany Quadrangle, is currently open from 7:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays.
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