By Sofie Parker
The Nugget, a campus favorite watering hole, is shuttered; the Starbucks in the University Library has disappeared and the University Dining Plaza is a ghost town.
Student-favorite restaurants at Long Beach State have closed due to the pandemic, and it is uncertain when they will officially re-open.
However, some 49er Shop restaurants including the residential dining halls and the Outpost Grill are currently open for business, and so are the Carl’s Jr, Robeks, Coffee Bean and Sbarro located in the University Student Union.
Rosa Hernandez, associate director for the 49er Shops, said the business laid off over 600 employees who were mainly students in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But, since the campus has reopened, it has been a major challenge for 49er Shops to hire sufficient employees.
“Right now with the locations that we have open, we’re trying to make sure that they’re staffed and that students are getting what they need,” Hernandez said. “We’re providing services in a way that’s sustainable for business, but also supports students.”
The 49er Shops hosted hiring events on Wednesday Sept. 22 and Thursday, Sept. 23 in front of the campus bookstore and The Outpost in order to increase staff coverage in the residential dining halls.
“The lack of workers is making it difficult to reopen restaurants such as the Nugget Grill and Pub,” Hernandez said. “But, if the staffing issues resolve, the Nugget could possibly reopen by the end of the semester.”
But there are other situations that have contributed to the difficulty of reopening campus restaurants. Such is the case for The Chartroom restaurant because it has been turned into a COVID-19 testing center for walk-ins and scheduled appointments.
The University Dining Plaza (UDP) was once home to a Starbucks and Panda Express, among other popular eateries, but were shutdown due to the UDP being one of the oldest buildings on campus. It did not meet the safety standards of airflow and ventilation in order to reopen, Hernandez said.
Signs throughout campus indicate available dining options. Photo credit: Sofie Parker
Karolyn Troutman, a third-year industrial design major, said she used to stop at the UDP at least once a week for lunch before the pandemic, but now “there aren’t really any options on the south side of campus.”
However, she said she does feels lucky that all of her classes this semester are “close to to The Outpost,” one of the few places opened for students to grab a bite.
To give on-the-go students more food options, the 49er Shops contracted a food truck vendor called Curbside Bites, located between Peterson Hall 1 and Beach Circle from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Hernandez said that food trucks may become a permanent fixture on campus if necessary.
Caffeine Lab, located in the University Library has replaced Starbucks, but continues to serve many of its signature drinks due to a partnership agreement, including pastries from Lina’s Donuts.
Students wait in line to order at the Caffeine Lab located on the first floor of the CSULB library. Photo credit: Sofie Parker
The new coffee spot is also home to multiple aisles stocked with convenience food items that students can purchase along with their favorite coffee.
However, many cafe employees have said providing food service during the pandemic has been a bigger challenge than the Starbucks to Caffeine Lab transition, Karren Trac, the Caffeine Lab’s manager since June 2019, said.
“Having limited capacity seating, masks, and Plexi’s made us more creative in how we provide extraordinary service to our customers,” Trac said.
For more restaurant re-opening updates and other dining options, Hernandez encourages the Beach community to follow the 49er Shops on Instagram or download the CSULB app to reference the “Where to Shop and Eat” page.
