Students are mourning the loss of Study Hall, a popular bar and eatery near campus, following last Monday’s news of its impending closure.
Located a few blocks near the end of USC’s Greek Row, Study Hall has been a go-to spot for many students over the past five years since it opened. The restaurant plans to fully transition into student housing this December; currently only its first two floors house students.
In the wake of this news, students and alumni who reflected on the many memories they have made at Study Hall over the years said they are worried about where they can turn to once it’s gone.
One of the largest groups of regulars at Study Hall is Water Cooler, USC’s sports talk show put on by Trojan Vision.
Going for dinner and drinks after a broadcast has been a team tradition for years, Keith Demolder, a USC alumnus who worked for the Water Cooler for three years, told Annenberg Media.
“Every Friday after the show we’d go to Study Hall, and … just get some food and drinks and that sort of thing,” Demolder said. “[It’s] a place where we could hang out and be ourselves. It's just a good atmosphere.”
Along with its environment, he said that Study Hall’s location and menu are other features that make the restaurant special.
“You had the patio seating outside and you could kind of see people walking by and see the cars and have the sunshine,” Demolder said. “The food was always super good...it felt like a hometown place to eat ,it just felt very genuine.”
Patrons of Study Hall also value the spot for the overall comfortable feeling it provides.
“There’s an authenticity to it and you get to know the workers, some of them are students...it’s a place where we can really sit down and hang out for awhile,” said Trevor Denton, a senior Water Cooler member.
Compared to other bars near campus, particularly Rock & Reilly's in the USC Village, Denton believes that Study Hall is less “busy and chaotic.” He also described how the restaurant prefers its customers to “stay and keep coming back for more beer and food.”
The Water Cooler team isn't the only student group that will feel the void that Study Hall will leave. USC’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Judicial Board (Jboard) also frequently use the restaurant as a meeting/hangout spot.
Jack Elliot, vice president of IFC and a member of Jboard, explained why the restaurant is such a good place to gather.
“It’s definitely a pretty central meeting spot,” he said. “It’s right next to 28th Street so we try to go there a fair amount because the food’s fairly reasonably priced and it's not too far away.” As USC Housing plans to take over the restaurant entirely, these groups dread the loss of their favorite place to meet.
Some students are not content with idly sitting by as their favorite spot on campus is swept from underneath them. In the wake of revelations of Study Hall’s imminent closure, a USC student has crafted a petition against the decision. While it is unclear exactly how much traction this petition has gained, these efforts prove how closely USC student’s hold Study Hall to their hearts.
The creator of the petition did not respond in time for publication.
Trevor Denton is a member of Annenberg Media.
Adam Tolson contributed to this report.