It’s 2:15 a.m. Do you know where you are going to eat? Wawa, of course, is an option, but do you really want to fight the lines for that same old greasy sandwich, and then have nowhere to sit and eat? And Chanello’s is still open; but, well, it’s Chanello’s. What is a College of William and Mary student to do?
The fact is most college towns have something that we do not: An adored, centrally located and character-filled late-night food option that serves up a tasty bite in a friendly, social atmosphere. Considering the recently announced plan for a new mixed-use housing complex on Richmond Road that is slated to house student-friendly businesses, the administration is in perfect position to rectify this deficiency. We eagerly anticipate seeing with what they come up.
The administration’s proposal is innovative: The first floor of this new three-story building will be rented out to businesses, while the top two floors will be upperclassmen apartment space. With 14,000 square feet of commercial space available, including an outdoor patio for a restaurant, the possibilities for what could fill this space intrigues us. With such a location — right on the edge of campus, next to Wawa and the delis and not far from Colonial Williamsburg — any business that moves into this space will be perfectly situated to prosper. So who should we bring in?
We support the administration’s efforts to court only student-friendly businesses for these locations. Along these lines, it should work to improve on the dearth of late-night food options available to students here. And, above all, the College should be looking to bring in companies with personality. If there is one thing that Williamsburg does not need, it is another national chain that could be found anywhere.
The University of Virginia has its Littlejohns. What business will grow to be an integral part of the College experience?