31 Jan 2013
Staff Writer
Jennifer Zhang / Intern
To liven up the scenery in the Kerr Hall cafeteria, the university renovated the dining hall in order to reflect more of the overall culture of Texas, elements of Denton County and UNT.
Dining Services and the Denton County Historical Society, currently made up of 35 students, collaborated together to fulfill the renovation during the winter break.
When students enter the cafeteria, they may notice a new wall decorated with images and descriptions of Denton’s history.
“Guests are greeted with a montage of images depicting the history of Denton County and UNT, including the first motorcycle cop in Texas, a 1920s fire department drill and UNT’s mascot ‘Scrappy’ the Eagle from 1940,” Special Projects Manager at the UNT Food Department Kenneth Botts said.
Students may also notice the new brick facades near the serving areas upon entering. The brick walls are actually part of “Denton Square,” one of the three newly designed areas that also includes “The Garage” and “The Library.”
“The ‘Denton Square’ area transforms serving lines into iconic buildings complete with replicas of their brick facades,” Bott said. “The Evers Hardware Company is cleverly recreated as the Evers Silverware Company and the Fine Arts Movie Theatre becomes Fine Eats.”
Electrical engineering freshman Alex Carr said the cafeteria is “a bit homier” and that “the brick is a lot cooler than the boring walls they had before.”
The other two aspects of the renovated dining hall also represent different time periods and atmospheres.
“‘The Garage’ has the feel of an industrial diner circa the 1950s with its neon signs, celebrating the industrial heritage of Denton County,” Bott said. “A glass wall features a map of Texas highlighting towns where famous Texans such as Dwight Eisenhower, Buddy Holly and Farrah Fawcett were born.”
Bott also said “The Library boasts a new soft-seating area with booths and dimmed lighting where diners can relax.”
Students may also learn more about famous UNT alumni by eating lunch at Kerr and by observing life-size images of the football-playing “Mean” Joe Green and jazz artist Norah Jones.
Kerr Dining Hall’s renovations have not only freshened up the design of the cafeteria, but serve as an educational tool as well.
Psychology freshman Tiara Green said the new designs interest her.
“They show me the history of UNT, but they also remind me how diverse this school really is,” Green said.
