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Bombshelter closes, South Campus Student Center to open in its place fall 2011

By Sean Greene

Jan. 3, 2010 11:49 p.m.

The Bombshelter closed its doors Dec. 11 and will be demolished later this month to make way for the new South Campus Student Center, which is expected to open fall quarter 2011.

The $16.5 million dollar South Campus Student Center will have expanded indoor seating and four different restaurants, as well as coffee and frozen yogurt services, said Cindy Bolton, Associated Students UCLA director of food service.

“(The South Campus Student Center) is not going to look very much like the Bombshelter,” said Steve Olsen, vice chancellor for finance, budget and capital programs. “It’s going to completely remake that area of the campus.”

The partially underground design of the building will look more like a part of the landscape than an actual building, Bolton said. As well as a variety of seating areas, the student center will have study spaces and a small convenience store selling school supplies.

Olsen said the new student center will meet the need for an area in which South Campus students, faculty and staff can gather and discuss their work.

In the Bombshelter’s absence, food service will still be available in the area, Bolton said.

The proposed plan is to bring in different food trucks between Boelter and Young halls. She said they are taking into account food quality, low prices and availability of the interim food services.

The Bombshelter served the South Campus community for about 40 years. As the population of the South Campus grew, the vending site expanded to the food service facility that students today know, according to Bolton.

“The Bombshelter, while venerated and loved, (is) at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced,” Olsen said.

Tony Frias, Bombshelter manager of eight years, said all the facility’s employees will be reemployed at other ASUCLA restaurants.

Frias said he has heard many rumors about the Bombshelter, including one that claims there is an actual bomb shelter somewhere on campus.

He also said many professors and alumni still come to the Bombshelter for a meal, even after they no longer work at UCLA.

“I think it’s going to be one of those nostalgic pieces,” he said. “It was a good ride, good times. I met a lot of interesting people.”

On Dec. 11, nine of its employees cut a cake to celebrate the eatery’s last day of business. Employees signed a wall on the inside, writing “Thanks for the memories.”

All the student employees shared a sentiment of friendship after working with each other for most of their stays at UCLA.

“I started working here before I even went to UCLA,” said Sundeep Thind, a third-year history student. “It’s really depressing. It feels like my home is being closed.”

Thind said she believes the Court of Sciences will not be the same without the Bombshelter to serve its many customers.

“I remember when we had a customer who was having a really bad day and all she wanted was a Cherry Coke,” she said.

Thind said serving the customers was what made working at the Bombshelter special.

“(The customers) depend on this place,” she said. “They come here on their breaks to have a chat with the workers. It’s a constant (on campus) and now it disappears.”

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Sean Greene
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