After temporarily closing their doors in February of last year, The Nest is officially reopening on September 6th. General manager, Michelle Dirksen, is excited to re-introduce the Nest to those students who may not have gotten the chance to visit during the pandemic.
“We only managed to be open about 10 months over the last two years… being closed since January gave us a chance to reflect on our vision, our mission.”
Students that attend will notice several new features at the Nest, including a new interior to fit the welcoming atmosphere Dirksen aims to create.
“We want it to be a welcoming place, an inclusive place. A place where regardless of who you are, what you believe in, you feel welcomed here,” said Dirksen.
The design also needed to reflect the variety of events the Nest hosts. “Yes, we are the restaurant and bar on campus, but we also host weddings and graduations, comedy series. We’re one thing one day and another thing the next.”
The new design will feature different sections representing different feels. “In our soft lounge, which is where our fireplace is, we have a really warm woodsy feeling … we [also] have this amazing wall of lights for a gaming feel.”
This biggest addition to the décor is a new mural– painted by Tyler Hochlater. “I told him, this is the gathering place. Regardless of if you’re staff, faculty, students or even the outside community … this is the place where you can destress, you can hide, can party, can make memories. I wanted this mural to be people getting together.”
In addition to the new décor, Nest will also unveil a new value menu catered to students with tight budgets.
“We realized that times are hard. With inflation [and] raising food costs, it factors into everything nowadays. We’re ensuring that if a student comes into the Nest, they can afford to be here.”
The “mid-day munchie menu” will offer items for $5.75 or less, Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Nest will also offer daily food specials, including a rotating daily meal for under $10.
For those looking for a liquid lunch, the Nest will also offer a daily rotating drink special for $4.25.
“We have a really good balance of lagers to IPAs to seltzers, gluten-free options. Again, just trying to make sure that everyone has an option that they want,” said Dirksen.
The Nest opens on September 6th and will be open Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are located in the Activities Centre, but also have an external entrance and parking lot directly behind the LRT.
