Wacky's Wake

Wackadoo's Grub and Brew use to be filled with school spirit, pep and energy. And although the t-shirts, sports jerseys, pictures and fraternity and sorority flags are still hanging from the ceiling, there are now tombstones made of paper hanging on the doors, the columns and the walls of the restaurant.

Wackadoo's will die on Friday, Oct. 13.

Wackadoo's coined itself Florida Atlantic University's "official on-campus, sports headquarters" since it opened in 2001. Wackadoo's replaced Ratskiller in 2001 as the on-campus restaurant for the Boca Raton campus. Wackadoo's is a chain that also has locations at the University of Central Florida and the University of North Florida among other places.

Wackadoo's has gone through four owners since it opened. The latest manager to get fired was part of an underage drinking article published by the student newspaper. The new managers have fixed the underage drinking problem - but not the cleanliness.

From two different sources, I have learned that the reason Wackadoo's is getting closed isn't so that Chartwell's (FAU's catering company who owns the rights to every other food venue on campus) can make more profit. Wackadoo's is closing because of health violations.

Coyote Joe's, the new restaurant going in, should be open in the spring and is also a college-campus chain. According to Stacey Volnick, an official with the University Center, the new establishment will serve alcohol along with other sports-bar type foods including wings, hamburgers and hot dogs.

But what Coyote Joe's can't replace is Wackadoo’s’ rich tradition. Wackadoo's is where the men's basketball team gathered with over 300 students in the spring of 2002 to watch FAU's name light up on national television as they were named to the NCAA Tournament. It's also the same place that in the fall of 2004, over 150 students gathered to watch FAU's football games. Women's basketball also hosted their tournament-bid party at Wackadoo's in the spring of 2006. It has hosted pep rallies, radio shows, television shows and is a meeting place for many students who are studying or just taking a break in-between classes.

It was also used by Student Government Program Board who frequently did karaoke nights there, the Jewish Student Union who offered free billiards on Wednesdays and fraternities and sororities who hosted recruitment events and even some main attractions such as date auctions, Mr. and Mrs. Fraternity/Sorority. Three years ago, Wackadoo's played host to the Greek Week talent show.

According to Volnick, the memorabilia from Wackadoo's is owned by the university and will be retained for the use of the new establishment. But Coyote Joe's isn't going to be permanent. The university is in talks with TGI Friday's and Chili's to bring a nationally recognized name onto the campus. That, admittedly, IS for profit - but not for Chatwell's or for the new restaurant - for the University Center who has been sucking financial pond water for the past four years.

Good-bye Wackadoo's. Rest in peace.