W&L to Reopen Renovated Marketplace and Café ’77 for Fall Term

To: Washington and Lee Students, Faculty and Staff
From: K.C. Schaefer, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services

In February, the university began the exciting task of updating and expanding our campus dining venues in the Elrod Commons. This work adjusted how we provided meals to our campus community, shifting our primary operations to Evans Dining Hall.

I am proud to announce that the first phase of the dining renovations is nearing its completion and we will be moving our primary dining experiences back to Elrod Commons this fall. The Marketplace, our all-you-care-to-eat dining facility, is on track to re-open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Monday, Aug. 21. Café 77, our quick-service and grab-and-go venue, will re-open Sunday, Sept. 3. Evans Dining Hall will return to serving as a primary catering venue starting Aug. 21.

All Washington and Lee dining venues will return to normal operating hours this fall. Meal swipes for first-year students will again be limited to the Marketplace whenever that venue is open. Once the Marketplace closes for the evening, first-year students may redeem a meal exchange at any facility that features late-night hours.

As a reminder, the second phase of the Elrod Commons dining renovations will begin midway through Fall Term 2023. This phase involves an expansion of the seating area within the Marketplace and will extend the outdoor seating areas surrounding Café 77. This work will not affect our ability to operate either dining venue at full capacity and should be completed by Fall Term 2024.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make improvements to these dining venues. The university strives to provide a top-notch culinary experience to our campus community and we hope you will be pleased with the results. If you have any questions about W&L's dining services, please direct your inquiries to diningservices@wlu.edu.

For your convenience, the most up-to-date operating hours for W&L dining venues are always available on the dining services website. As we gear up for the academic year, all campus dining venues will gradually resume operations between now and the first day of undergraduate classes. We look forward to welcoming you!