Between late-night munchies and morning hangover remedies, it’s no secret that college students have an affection for food. Our bustling schedules and rambunctious social lives often spare little time or energy to cook a meal. Whether on-campus, off-campus or via delivery, Eugene restaurants are always there to lift us up in times of desperation — a support that extends far beyond food.
Finding a place to eat in and around the UO campus is easy; there are plenty of options to choose from, serving a diverse selection of cuisines. Owning, managing and working at these locations is decidedly less straightforward. While nine months of the year are lively and teeming with college events, the remaining three are vastly different. Even though summer in Eugene is gorgeous — the weather is fantastic and the Willamette is swimming temperature — it’s a bit of a ghost town. For some restaurants, this down period is a source of new challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which put college-town businesses nationwide in crisis mode, revealed the devastating effects of absent institutions. Since colleges and universities produce student traffic, nearby companies receive less business during summertime. Eugene is no different; local restaurants are integral to the UO community — and vice versa.
Ume Grill Skewer House is a Japanese restaurant located west of campus. It’s one of three locations open in the Eugene area. They serve an array of excellent dishes, including poke, onigiri and udon noodles. I especially recommend the garlic pork plate.
Gina DeVito has worked in the food industry for 10 years and started working at Ume two and a half years ago. Initially filling the assistant manager position for six months, she now operates as the store manager. Although she has no personal affiliation with UO, she has developed a relationship with the broader Eugene community in her nine years as a resident.
“I like going to shows and being involved with music and events here,” DeVito said.
Amongst the raucous buzz of the school year, some specific dates and events generate a spike in business. For Ume, move-in time is at the top of the list, while sporting events are hit or miss. Most of the commotion “pulls a little more business to directly on campus,” DeVito said. “We’re a little off to the side, so when there’s events, the places that are much closer get hit harder than us.”
The summertime, however, poses setbacks for DeVito and her employees. Due to a significant lack of student traffic and reduced profits, the restaurant has to make sacrifices to carry on.
“I do have to cut a lot of labor out of the schedule in the summertime,” DeVito said. “A lot of people’s hours do get cut.”
Ironically, UO’s imposing presence can sometimes play damage control. College students comprise a significant portion of the workforce, with five Ducks currently employed at Ume. Because individuals who work at Ume during the school year typically aren’t Eugene natives, they tend to go home for the summer or go on vacation. With fewer employees to worry about and fewer hours to cut, “it all kind of balances out,” said DeVito.
Despite forcing a change in business model and a transition toward to-go containers, the COVID-19 pandemic and its disastrous effects no longer impact Ume Grill.
Wild Duck Cafe is a sports-themed restaurant and bar located across the street from Matthew Knight Arena and 800 meters from Hayward Field. The interior is adorned with duck-related decor, sports memorabilia and a myriad of television sets. The menu is chock-full of burgers, bar bites and Hawaiian fusion dishes. I had a chance to try the Vietnamese garlic chicken wings, which were positively delicious.
Although a staple of the campus food scene for many years, the restaurant closed in 2022.
On Sept. 23, the restaurant reopened under the management of Charles and Kahea Haasenritter — a Hawaiian couple with a strong attachment to the UO community. Recognizing the opportunity and the location’s proximity to campus events, the couple jumped at the chance to work close to their son Kilohana — a running back for the UO football team and the cafe’s co-owner.
Returning after nearly a year of closure, the restaurant took some time to get back on its feet. With football season in full swing, “more people are starting to realize that we are back open,” Kilohana Haasenritter said. “It was a little slow at the beginning, but now we are seeing a steady flow.”
With a soft opening, the Haasenritters are taking advantage of the football season and giving their restaurant the time to grow organically. In the near future, they plan to begin advertising and host a spectacular grand opening featuring a hula show and a fire dancer.
The Wild Duck Cafe cherishes its tight-knit relationship with the university, but its connections span several facets of the city. For example, it has built friendships with local youth baseball teams, brought candy to the New Hope West Church harvest fest and provided food for away teams visiting the area. It’s all about “meeting different people, seeing what [they] need and how we can fulfill [that],” Kahea Haasenritter said.
The restaurant’s ties to UO are rooted in athletics. It’s not solely a place to eat, but a welcoming space for student-athletes to hang out. “We’re here to be servants to the community and create interaction between athletes and the fan base,” Charles Haasenritter said.
Moving forward, Wild Duck intends to start mentorship programs, bringing on student employees to study a variety of disciplines. The goal is to provide the student body with a platform to be creative and utilize their skills outside of the classroom. “We can almost be like an incubator for the University of Oregon,” Kahea Haasenritter said. “We can help their students put into training whatever career they are trying to pursue.”
Although the Haasenritters have yet to experience summertime as small business owners near campus, they understand the potential obstacles. However, this coming summer is particularly unique: Hayward Field will host the NCAA D1 Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the U.S. Olympic Team trials. Although students are out of town, substantial summer events draw in some of the biggest crowds looking for a bite to eat.
Sitting at the edge of campus, the Wild Duck Cafe invites loyal fans of Duck Nation to join the team and enjoy some delicious food. From Hawaii to Eugene, “It’s been an exciting ride,” Charles Haasenritter said. “For all of us to be here in Oregon as a family.”
Suffice it to say that Eugene restaurants provide a diverse outlet for students. For those in need of a pick-me-up meal or study fuel, they’ve got their backs. For those looking for jobs, they supply a plethora of opportunities and prepare them for future career applications. It’s a relationship built on friendship and mutual support. Whether on or off campus, restaurants rely on the community to survive, and the institution provides that assistance.
Despite summertime setbacks, local owners, managers and employees persevere, contributing a vital service to UO and the city of Eugene. They serve us just as we serve them — a constant and foundational cornerstone of any college town.
