In November 2022, the UNC Board of Governors approved funds for the construction of a cafe in Davis Library, with UNC Media Relations now saying the project is indefinitely postponed.
The cafe began as a joint effort between University Libraries and Carolina Dining Services to reduce traffic at Lenoir Dining Hall and other campus dining locations, especially during lunch hour. It was planned to be the first North Carolina location of Pret A Manger, a London-based franchise. The chain has over 400 locations in 19 countries, with 64 locations in the U.S., two of which are on college campuses at the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania.
The cafe sells soups, sandwiches, salads, baked goods and coffee. It was planned for the first floor of Davis, centrally located and facing the Pit.
Construction was initially intended to take place in summer 2023 with the hope of concluding by the following academic year, but has yet to begin.
In an email statement UNC Media Relations wrote that, “The addition of the Pret A Manger cafe in Davis Library has been put on hold indefinitely due to budgetary reasons.”
Sophomore Jaineshaa Naheta said the cafe would be especially helpful for students if it stayed open as late as Davis Library does, until 2 a.m. All other on-campus dining options close at or before midnight.
“I’ve found myself stuck at Davis in the middle of the night studying for a test, but I don’t have anything to fuel me, to keep me going, so I'd have to end up going back to my dorm or DoorDash something, which is a lot of money and a waste of time when you are trying to study,” sophomore Nithi Ayyappan said.
The only food and beverages currently available for purchase in Davis Library are snacks and drinks from vending machines.
“Some of the vending machines around campus don’t work, so there is no way to get a snack or something to drink very quickly,” sophomore Simrika Joshi said.
