Isaac’s Cafe will close after Thanksgiving break for renovation, reopening in January

Isaac’s Cafe will begin a renovation project during Thanksgiving break and will open again at the start of the spring semester. This renovation will expand the kitchen and update equipment, as well as include aesthetic changes to the dining area. 

“It’s a small space with outdated equipment,” said Director of Dining Services Micah Vitale. “Obviously everyone likes their tenders and french fries, so having industrial fryers in [the kitchen] will help.”

He added that restructuring the flow and lay out of the kitchen will be helpful. Currently, the prep station and freezer are on the first floor of Bartlett, while Isaac’s is on the second. The renovation will move them into Isaac’s kitchen. 

Timmy Brown, night shift supervisor at Isaac’s, said that he is excited about the renovation to the kitchen. Having a larger space that can house everything they need will improve efficiency and the jobs of Isaac’s employees.

A rendering of Isaac’s kitchen after the expansion and renovations. Final renovations may look different. Photo courtesy of Ben Stubbs

Ben Stubbs, vice president and dean of students, is the point person for student dining services experiences. Stubbs leads the Dining Services Advisory Committee, which consists of student representatives, staff and Fresh Ideas employees. This group has discussed how dining services plan to handle Isaac’s being closed for the last half of the semester.

“Isaac’s menu will be running off the grill area [at Pearson’s],” Vitale said. He explained that meals will continue to be prepared cook-to-order and the station will be run by Isaac’s employees, with help from Pearson’s employees.

Michael Howard (‘28) is one of the student representatives on the Dining Services Advisory Committee.

We were in agreement that Pearson’s should have Isaac’s hours, primarily for the benefit of student athletes,” Howard said, explaining that athletes often have practice or games late in the evening, past 8 p.m., when Pearson’s closes.

Stubbs wants to assure students that Pearson’s will be open until 10 p.m.; however, the menu might shift from Pearson’s to Isaac’s at 8 p.m. rather than 7 p.m..

“It’s going to be just like Isaacs,” Vitale said, adding that they may use Isaac’s buzzers, or use “dine without the line” for mobile ordering if it is ready by that time. 

About this new mobile ordering service, Vitale said: “[Students] can order ahead or they can order in the dining facility – It just allows them to not wait in line … It will notify them on their phone when their food is ready.”

In addition to online ordering, kiosks will be set up in Isaac’s to cut down on wait times, but students can still order in person if they prefer.

Upon reopening Isaac’s in January, students will see new tables, a paint job, a shuffleboard table and a dartboard in the dining room.

“The plan is also to add in some recreation equipment to add to the function of the space as a hangout space,” said Stubbs. “The space will be repainted in college colors and we are replacing the booths and tabletops and adding some community furniture like couches.”

The upstairs of Isaac’s is not being renovated at this time, but Stubbs said that updates to the floor and furniture are in the future. 

Brown mentioned the possibility of expanding Isaac’s hours, saying there was a chance they could open between their current lunch and dinner hours. The menu is also being expanded based on student requests. 

“We are still taking menu suggestions,” Vitale said. “Students can scan the QR code and give feedback, or write the old school way on our communication board in Pearsons and relate it to Isaacs.” 

“We don’t intend for Isaac’s to become a true alternative for Pearson’s,” Stubbs said about the menu expansion. “Isaac’s is more of a limited choice, but we can certainly expand it out from what it is now.”

The decorations on the walls in Isaac’s will be changing, too. Stubbs credited Executive Director for Marketing and Communications Karen Eldridge with an idea for updating this artwork that incorporates student representations of what MC stands for.

“We want something more school spirit oriented and college oriented,” Stubbs said. “We are planning on doing a student art contest.”

“The theme is a large piece of Maryville College artwork in which the letters are designed with all sorts of unique images, designs and concepts that convey the Maryville College experience,” Stubbs added. “Soon we will be putting out a call for students to submit artwork for this project. A student designed Isaac’s logo, and we think this is in keeping with that tradition.”

“I want the grand opening to be a bang,” Brown said. The date of this opening has yet to be announced, but will be in the spring semester, once all aesthetic updates are done.

A renovation of Pearson’s will begin over Christmas break and will also reopen at the beginning of next semester.

“The Pearson’s renovation won’t be quite as impactful, we are essentially just updating surfaces,” Stubbs said. 

This includes replacing the floor and booths, adding some new tabletops, removing the half walls and rearranging the layout of the space.

“We are going to be adding a tile wall around the service areas and keep the area looking a little nicer and lighten it up, and we are going to be adding in a service area to make the “Delicious Without” station more permanent,” Stubbs added.

These renovation projects are commonplace when a new dining service provider contracts with Maryville College, the same was done when Metz first contracted with MC, Stubbs explained. He also said that the partnership with Fresh Ideas is what is allowing MC to complete the renovations.

A rendering of the Isaac’s dining room after renovations shows new tables and recreational activities, plus a new paint job. Final renovations may look different. Photo courtesy of Ben Stubbs