The Pub reborn: Clyde’s to bring ‘the buzz’ Sept 2010

The Pub may become a thriving campus hotspot for students next September when it starts serving full strength beer and wine shortly after a complete renovation and name-change.

The Pub will become "Clyde's" – after UCCS's mountain lion mascot – following the renovation, and will feature a list of new foods and beverages not currently offered by The Pub.  

One of the biggest changes from the renovation, said Sodexo General Manager Russ Saunkeah, will be the addition of microbrews and wine. Most of the brews will be local selections, and prices, according to Saunkeah, will depend on negotiations with local brewers. The Pub currently offers only 3.2 percent alcohol-by-volume beer, a weaker version of standard beers that has in the past been a source of complaint and discontent among students.

The changes are the result of what Saunkeah called a "long, well-thought-out process," involving evaluation of the current Pub and what changes students would like to see. The Pub will be "more of a gathering place than it is now" once the changes take place, according to Saunkeah.

Susan Szpyrka, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, has been very involved in the undertaking of the project, which she said will increase the volume of business for that location and the university as a whole.

The decision to renovate was due in part to an extensive survey of students, faculty, and staff, said Szpryka. The survey, which was conducted last fall, laid the blueprint for the new Clyde's. "We did not just sit down and decide to do this," said Szpryka.

Upon completion, Clyde's will provide seating for approximately 90 people, an increase over the facility's current offering.

"The Pub is underused right now," said Saunkeah. The new space will provide  "a place for people to perform poetry slams," and host other events, anticipates Szpryka. The hope is that Clyde's will provide a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for people to gather and congregate.

Szpryka is adamant that the new area will "not be a repeat of the Overlook Café or Jazzman's." She anticipates karaoke nights and other types of performances. Clyde's will bring value to the campus and, according to Szpryka, "the most exciting thing is that we're adding a place to enhance student life." Clyde's will also offer three flat screen TVs that people can watch, and will also hopefully have a live feed from the event center.