The popular restaurant chain, Chick-fil-A, will be available to students and staff by the beginning of September, according to Jomah Watson, the director of Armour J. Blackburn.
News broke during the spring 2023 semester in a previous Hilltop article with claims that the Chick-fil-A restaurant would be opening on campus in the fall of 2023. However, more than one year later, students are still awaiting its opening.
According to Howard University’s dining services website, the fast food chain does not have a designated opening date. However, Watson anticipates the restaurant to open at the end of August.
“Chick-fil-A will be completed when classes start, but the goal is to open the first week of September. We’d prefer for it to open during the end of August. But, just in case of unforeseen circumstances like tropical storm Debby, which delays material shipments and construction, we must have a Plan B,” Watson said.
Some students have been looking forward to this additional dining option, while others have neutral and unenthusiastic feelings about the fast food restaurant.
Tatum Sabin, a third-year painting major and psychology minor from Orange, New Jersey, expressed concern.
“Being that we are an HBCU, I would’ve loved it if the university took this opportunity to support a local Black-owned business,” she said. “To an extent, I am excited about Chick-fil-A coming to campus. I just think that this could’ve been a time where we put money back into our own people and community rather into yet another white corporation.”
According to Chick-fil-A.com, Chick-fil-A began as a small business called The Dwarf Grill in Atlanta, created by S. Truett Cathy and his brother in 1946. In 1967, Truett founded and opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta’s Greenbriar shopping center. The name’s capital A indicates that their chicken is “grade A top quality.” The fast food chain quickly grew with a menu focused on fried meals such as chicken tenders, french fries, chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches.
Ashley Foster, a junior graphic design major from Silver Spring, Maryland, is looking forward to the restaurant.
“I’m excited for there to be a Chick-fil-A on campus,” she said. “I feel like the quality of food options in Blackburn has gone down a lot since my freshman year. But, I know that Chick-fil-A is quick and reliable, so I can definitely see myself being there often.”
In addition to a new restaurant chain, the Armour J. Blackburn University Center has been going through much needed updates and renovations.
Watson also mentioned that there are “quite a few” renovations involving the floors, a studio buildout addition and the LGBTQ resource center.
“The floors in the main lobby and lower level near the cafe are being renovated for safety reasons due to cracks in the tiles,” he said.
The new floors will be on brand with the University, having gray and blue sparkles.
“There’ll be an addition of a digital recording studio in the basement. This studio is a collaboration with the School of Business Warner Music program,” he said.
According to Watson, the LGBTQ resource center is also going through extensive updates.
“We’re also renovating the LGBTQ resource center and working with IKEA to upgrade the center to a brand new, state-of-the-art space with new furniture and so much more to come,” he said.
Students like Niaa Lawrence, a third-year fashion design major from Cincinnati, are hoping for different amenities to be considered for renovation within Blackburn.
“I would like to see more spaces for activities and leisure. Also, more seating inside. Blackburn is a place with a lot of traffic, so it’d be helpful to have a place for people in-between classes to simply sit, or charge their phone without having to walk to the library,” she said.
Selma Apara, a junior computer science major and theater arts minor from Oakland, California, hopes for Blackburn to accommodate specific groups and clubs.
“I would like to see spaces that dance organizations can reserve to practice their routines,” she said.
Copy edited by Jalyn Lovelady
