The Student Union basement, a hangout and study spot among UWL students, showcases a variety of activities, including pool tables, arcade basketball hoops, an e-café and a theater. The lower level received its newest upgrade on Thursday, Sept. 11, with the hidden gem known as The Cellar reopening. The Cellar is finally back up and running after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This “new” dining spot, located in the lower level of the Union, is, in fact, not new at all. The Cellar’s rich history goes back decades. What UWL’s current student body knows as the Student Union was once located in the Cartwright Center.
The new Student Union was officially opened on January 23, 2017. Everything that exists in the Union now, once existed in the Cartwright Center.
One of the main features of the union in the Cartwright Center was The Cellar. Also located in the basement of the building, The Cellar was a performance venue with a pub-like atmosphere. It provided a space for students to eat food and enjoy entertainment. The Cellar was considered a hangout spot and even a potential date location.
“I’ve met people that work here who have said ‘I met my wife at The Cellar.’ It’s been that kind of history,” said Kyle Burke the Director of University Centers and Student Engagement.
When the new Union was built, UWL aimed to preserve that history by incorporating The Cellar into the lower level once again. In doing so, they hoped to carry on the tradition and create a space where future students could make similar memories.
The design of the new Cellar differs from its original pub atmosphere. Instead, it now resembles more of a storefront. The goal behind this change is to encourage students to enjoy their food while taking advantage of all the amenities the Union’s lower level has to offer.
“I think there’s room for more utilization of that lower level. We are trying to find ways to draw students down there and the reopening of The Cellar is just the first step of that process,” said Burke.
The Cellar closed its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the biggest contributing factors to its closure was a lack of staffing. Since then, the university has been working closely with Chartwells, its contracted dining provider, to find staff to run The Cellar.
“Our partner, Chartwells, has done a really good job and has been successful in hiring student staff, which has been helpful in getting it back up and running,” said Burke.
Another issue UWL ran into with the reopening of The Cellar was the underutilization of the lower level and trying to determine whether there would be enough business for the food. A lot of debate went into if the addition of The Cellar would help reactivate the space and generate business.
Last year, The Cellar was open a few times throughout the academic year during Eagles @ Nite on Friday evenings, but it never truly took off. Because of this, UWL is testing the waters by opening on Thursdays and Fridays to gauge what business might look like.
During opening weekend, there were over 400 transactions both Thursday and Friday night.
“Which is fantastic. I think the community is responding well. Staff and faculty come too! They hold onto that history, so they’re back enjoying what The Cellar has to offer, which is great,” Burke said.
Addison Wick, a fourth-year at UWL said, “I’m excited to try something new. I feel like it opens more options. The space is there for it, so I’ve always been confused as to why they haven’t been open”
When deciding what dining options to offer, UWL formulated some new ideas of premium products to put on the menu that would draw people’s attention.
Some fan favorites include flatbread pizza, loaded mac & cheese and chicken wings. They also serve sandwiches and wraps such as BLT wraps, chicken tender wraps, veggie burgers, the Friday fish sandwich and “The Cellar Supreme,” which is a 1/3 lb. burger with bacon, cheese and all the works. But it doesn’t stop there, they also offer appetizers such as mozzarella sticks and cheese curds.
So, how does one get their hands on these delicious food options? Accepted forms of payment include dining dollars, block meals, campus cash and cash/credit/debit.
A prime time to stop by The Cellar to enjoy some food and activities is on Friday evenings during the weekly Eagles @ Nite events. For the past three academic years, each Friday evening UWL has hosted an activity or event in the lower level of the Union called Eagles @ Nite. A few examples include casino night, Bob Ross painting night, build a plush night and movie nights. All of which are free for students to enjoy!
A goal for University Centers this school year is to assess the use of the lower level by recording the amount of student engagement. In analyzing these numbers, they hope to come up with ideas on how to grow the use of the space. They also plan to work with student focus groups and Student Services to identify things they can do over the summer to elevate student engagement this coming fall. Those plans include, hopefully, expanding the hours that The Cellar is open.
“I would love to have either the student orgs or our programming councils look at possible events like spoken word, open mic nights and karaoke nights,” said Burke.
Burke’s hope for The Cellar is for it to become a part of campus culture again. When asked, “What would you measure as success for The Cellar?” Burke replied, “The dream measurement of success will be continued use, and I think we can do that by rotating the menu to keep it fresh and keep it new.”
With its rich history and fresh new look, The Cellar is ready to become a central part of campus life once again. Whether you’re stopping by for a bite to eat, hanging out with friends or joining in on a Friday night event, The Cellar offers a space for everyone to enjoy!
Hours: Thursday and Friday, 1:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
