From spending hours listening to professors drone over syllabuses, to waking up to an alarm for the first time since December, the first week of classes couldn’t end soon enough for USC students. As the weekend inched closer, many Trojans were eager for the opportunity to catch up with friends, grab some food and unwind with a couple of cold drinks.
Tucked in a quiet corner between USC Village and the Row, Study Hall played host to these types of welcome back gatherings for the better part of the past decade. This weekend, however, the fryers were cold, the kegs stopped flowing and the restaurant’s once animated porches and patios were barren and desolate. One of the area’s few locally owned and operated eateries had shut its doors for good, leaving USC students with no reliable alternative.
Toward the end of last semester, students received the shocking news that one of their favorite haunts would not be crossing into the new decade with them. In the wake of the announcement, droves of loyal patrons piled into the creaky Victorian structure. From freshman newcomers curious to see if the signature mac and cheese was really that good, to seniors who have been regulars for their entire time at USC the Trojan community came together to bid the spot a proper farewell.
Now, having said their final goodbyes to the beloved hangout, many still struggle to fill the void created by Study Hall’s closure. For many, the restaurant was not just a place to indulge in comfort foods and drinks, but a focal point for the campus community — fostering a number of collegiate friendships and hosting countless more great times.
“USC has lost a unique place where students of all sorts could come and relax after a really tough day of classes,” said Daniel Hailpern, a sophomore majoring in journalism. “It wasn’t just the food and drinks that made Study Hall special, but the company and the sense of community that the building had. Not a lot of places can really capture that environment. Quite frankly, I don’t know where to go this semester, I don’t have a ‘go-to’ hangout spot anymore.”
Other students share Hailpern’s sense of loss this semester. Emily Dobson, a sophomore majoring in environmental studies, echoed the sentimental value of Study Hall. Like many of her peers, she still looks fondly upon the establishment, in spite of its closure.
“I wish I had gone there more often now that it’s gone,” Dobson said. “I’m honestly really grateful for all of the great times that I had there and all of the memories that I made … I’ll always have those even if I can’t necessarily go back and make new ones.”
For many who are new to campus or those who never really got the hype, Study Hall’s closure is not as poignant as it is for other students. However, the shutdown of this establishment is undoubtedly a loss for the entire USC community. The notion that Study Hall was more than just a restaurant is rooted in much more than its patrons’ personal sentiment. Rather, Study Hall genuinely functioned as a central meeting point. Like Hailpern said, the restaurant allowed students of all walks of life to congregate and talk about all kinds of topics, building important bonds with their friends and classmates that enhance — and to some extent define — the traditional college experience.
While many college towns boast a surplus of similar establishments, the University Park Campus neighborhood has a relative dearth of small businesses. Void of comparable alternatives, the loss of Study Hall further feeds into the corporatization and gentrification of USC’s surrounding area. Merely a few years after the construction of USC Village brought in such national chains as Wahlburgers and Cava, Study Hall’s absence further hinders the ability for USC students to support local businesses, particularly restaurants.
Without “mom and pop” establishments like Study Hall in the equation, USC students seem to now be left with few other options but to gather at rather impersonal, cookie-cutter franchises and fast-food joints — if they decide to get together at all. Until somewhere new can capture the light-hearted, cheerful atmosphere of Study Hall, many students’ hearts will be as empty as their stomachs.