While juggling endless hours of reading and extracurricular activities, finding a convenient, common campus gathering spot can be a challenge. Despite the allure of Starbucks, Memorial Union is usually packed with overly caffeinated students studying for an upcoming test. The atmosphere of Ellis Library can be too quiet. Providing another option, The Shack at the Student Center offers students a place to sit, a bite to eat and a little entertainment between classes. With its sea of pool tables, loud music and flat screens, this cool, new joint provides students a new refuge from their hectic schedules.
Photo courtesy of MidMoDiningGuide.com
The history behind the hamburgers
As the latest student hangout, The Shack is a replica of the old establishment across from Jesse Hall. The Chandler Davis family originally created The Shack in 1921 as a snack car, according to the MU archives. At this time, it was known as “The Davis Tea Room.” Eventually becoming a real building, this hangout was a popular place for students to unwind after classes. With an ownership change in the mid-1930s, this Mizzou hotspot was renamed “Jack’s Shack.” By the early ’50s, the old hangout was recognized as a perfect place to grab some grub and a beer.
“The Shack was a very prominent part of Mizzou’s scene at that time,” alumnus Tom Chapman says. “There weren’t a whole lot of places to eat, so it was an important part of the local scene.”
By 1962, the sole owners, Vernon and Mary Blackmore, condensed the title to its current name, “The Shack.” That same year, Joe Franke became the next owner of the hangout until it closed in 1984. Purchased by the University of Missouri in 1988, the original Shack burnt down the night of Halloween that year.
True to its name, many generations knew The Shack as a dingy, cramped place with a good burger. It was an integral part of the Mizzou experience.
“[It] was a tradition,” Michelle Froese, the public relations manager of student and auxiliary services, says. “It was a dive; it was from all accounts just nasty, but there are so many alumni who are like, ‘Oh, I remember going to The Shack.’”
Tradition resurrected
Although the new venue at the Student Center is alcohol-free and clean, the unique atmosphere still remains. With the sounds of clacking billiard balls, blaring jukebox music and the voices of students talking to each other across wooden booths, The Shack is a classic hangout. Whether they are attracted by the burger from Mort’s or the possibility of playing Wii, hundreds of students flow through the space each day and have positively responded to The Shack’s easygoing vibe.
“There is always available seating here, so it is a nice place to take a break,” junior Theresa Oberle says.
Furthermore, The Shack has been a perfect venue to develop student programming on campus. A full calendar of watch parties from the Oscars to Mizzou sports provide students with opportunities to interact with each other over a shared interest outside of dorm life or school.
“It is moments like these, like award time or just game time, as a way for students to unwind after a busy week,” says senior Lanita Wright, a member of the student union programming board.
Yet, The Shack offers more than just a convenient place to relax between classes: It is a way to connect with Mizzou tradition. Beyond the flat screens and pool tables, there are glimpses of Mizzou history with pictures of the original hangout and images of Beetle Bailey, a cartoon character created by alumnus Mort Walker. In addition, reproductions of authentic carvings adorn the tabletops of each booth. Previous owner Franke made this unique addition possible. Before selling the property to Mizzou in the 1980s, Franke took out carved booths from the old building. As a result, the memory of the old Shack stays alive in the minds of future generations. Students remarked that these historical features add to The Shack’s charm.
“I love the history of the place,” Oberle says. “I like that we can see old carvings from the ’60s and ’70s.”
Students can even take advantage of the opportunity to carve their own initials into wooden panels on the walls. Once the administration told students they could do this, they immediately started marking up the wood. This acceptable graffiti not only affords students the possibility to make their college experience eternal but to also give zest to an old custom.
“We’re adding new life to a tradition that probably would have been forgotten in the next decade or so,” Froese says.
Like attending a homecoming football game or experiencing Tiger Walk, an afternoon at The Shack is a renewed rite of passage for the Mizzou student. Although the good food and club-like atmosphere appear to be the best qualities of the venue, they are only a small piece of what makes The Shack so distinctive on Mizzou’s campus. By hanging out there, students are following in the footsteps of generations before them. They are becoming a part of an old tradition while simultaneously making their own; this is what makes the new Shack such a memorable hangout. So when you are trying to decide what to carve on the wooden panel of the walls, just remember: How will you leave your mark on Mizzou tradition?