“Please don’t change this place!”
That’s IU senior Naomi Kertonugroho’s plea to IU regarding the renovation of Read Residence Hall’s dining hall.
Read Eatery closes March 14 for renovation and will become a Starbucks and Poke by Sushi King, scheduled to open in fall 2025. Many Read residents and regulars are disappointed by the change.
“My sophomore year, there wasn’t really much of an option (for to-go food) until Read opened up,” Kertonugroho said. “And that really sort of diversified the options that we could have.”
She is concerned that the new offerings at Read will mean less options for students, especially for students with dietary restrictions who may be unable to eat items from Starbucks and Poke.
With the closure of Read, students will have to go to nearby Goodbody Eatery or Forest Dining Hall. Even when Read reopens, it will no longer accept meal scans the way the current dining hall does.
Students on a seven-day meal plan have unlimited meal scans at all-you-care-to-eat locations, which includes the current Read location. However, getting food from existing Starbucks and poke bowl locations on campus requires using dining dollars or a “combo meal” scan, and students have a limited amount of per week depending on their meal plan.
“I don’t have extra money for that, and I know a lot of people that also don’t,” IU freshman and Read resident Gabriel North said. “So I feel that this is taking away food and services from people that can’t afford these things.”
IU freshman Emma Laude agrees. “I’d rather they keep it the way it already is, just because I know the Starbucks and poke bowl place is probably gonna be dining dollars and that’s not as worth it for me,” she said.
Some students are enthusiastic about the new Starbucks and Poke by Sushi King.
Freshman Catherine Hattery said it is disappointing the project is taking place during the school year, but she is also excited to have another Starbucks coming to campus.
“I was really excited that there’s going to be another Starbucks and another option for those who have classes closer to that area,” freshman Allison Cachat said.
She said she thinks she might stop by Read next year for Starbucks when she’s studying at Wells Library or in the nearby area.
Read residents were notified of the change via email and signs in the dining hall. In an email to residents [date], Ken Field, director of residential dining for IU Dining and Hospitality, acknowledged students’ varied feelings.
“While this closure is necessary to begin the removal of equipment, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and want to convey that the decision was not made lightly,” he wrote.
Changes are coming to other IU dining locations next year. Wright Quadrangle will reopen with a full-service dining hall and Bookmarket Eatery at Wells Library will “transition to a format similar to the food court options in the IMU,” according to IU Dining.
