The empty amphitheater and it’s surrounding area at the Erb Memorial Union, with a sign indicating that the space is closed and saying “stay home, save lives.” The building is “operating ‘mostly remotely’ with some limited services,” according to the EMU webpage.
On June 12, Summer ‘24 began for the University of Oregon students. While many students went home, abroad or elsewhere, roughly 30% of students stayed in Eugene for the summer.
While some businesses and restaurants across Eugene cater to students, for some establishments, the flow of customers did not receive a noticeable impact.
Dave’s Hot Chicken, located on Alder Street, is an extremely popular spot for students. Waiting in a line that extends out the door is a rite of passage for Oregon students.
Dave’s manager Austin Baird said that their sales decreased by 30-40% during the summer. “Other stores in our franchise extend their hours in the summer, I think we had a better summer than we have had previously,” Baird said.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is busiest after a football game or on Thursday and Friday nights. During the busier times, the staff at Dave’s is usually around 20 employees.
“We try to focus on staffing as many people as we can just to provide that great service, keeping ticket times low, and really being consistent for the guests,” Baird said.
Morning Glory, Eugene’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, had a steady flow of customers that did not decline during the summer.
“We don’t slow down until football season’s over,” Juliana Marquez said, manager of Morning Glory.
Morning Glory opens at 7:30 a.m. in the morning. Marquez said that oftentimes customers are lined up outside waiting for the doors to open. “Sometimes we will have a wait right when we open but we slow can down towards the end of the day,” Marquez said.
The Trader Joe’s in the Oakway Center is bustling with students and families three out of the four seasons.
“The summer here is one of our slowest times,” Marlon, one of the Trader Joe’s managers, said.
Apothca dispensary is located across the street from the University of Oregon campus and is popular for students over 21 buying cannabis. Apothca offers student discounts with a valid ID.
According to Galen Hubert, the store manager at Apothca, because the majority of customers are students, the sales rate at Apothca drops by 75% during the summer months.
“I’ve been here for almost 10 years so I expect it. So we tend to prepare for it,” Hubert said.
Students are starting to return to Eugene before classes begin on Sept. 30. With that, the lines at Dave’s will get longer, the streets will be louder and local businesses will all have an increase of customers.
