Life on Campus at NC State: April 2021

I most recently posted one of these campus-area updates in March. Over the last month, things have slowly been getting back to something that resembles “normal” around State. See below for a few of the happenings that are going on around campus.

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“Wolfpack Brewery” is Open for Business:

NC State has long been brewing its own beer within its “Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences Department” as part of the “Wolfpack Brewing Lab” headed up by Dr. John Sheppard (NCSU Bioprocessing Science Undergraduate Coordinator).

The Lab has brewed a variety of beers, including the Chancellor’s Choice IPA, Schaub Schwarzbier, Brickyard Red and Wolfpack Pilsner (a full list can be found here). Previously, the beer brewed by the Wolfpack Brewing Lab could only be sold at on-campus events, Lonnie Poole Golf Course, and the Stateview Hotel on Centennial Campus. This 2018 article from NCSU detailed how the brewing lab was hoping to soon expand their production and then eventually be able to distribute. Well that time is now as NC State has announced that “Wolfpack Brewery” options including, the Wolfpack Pilsner Lager and the Wolfpack Irish Red Ale are now available for purchase at the Howling Cow Dairy Education Center and Creamery on Lake Wheeler Road.

I’ve long hoped they would start distributing their beer as I’ve really enjoyed the options available at the Stateview Hotel and Flask & Beaker restaurant.

Now if only we could get the Athletics Department to complete my dream of taking over part of Lee Field behind Doak’s LF wall and constructing a Doak Field Beer Garden complete with Old Tuffy, Wolfpack Brewing options, and one local brewery rotating in per baseball series in the spring.

I’m convinced that the revenues from just one season of operation for such a beer garden could solely finance our Athletic Department’s budget for at least a decade eternity.

Hibachi and Co Coming to Hillsborough Street:

On a recent drive down Hillsborough, I saw that “Hibachi and Co.” looks like it will soon be opening in a space on the block of buildings currently occupied by Chipotle, Mezeh, and Slice of New York Pizza. Their website shows two current existing locations, one in Fuquay and one in Chapel Hill.

Oak City Pizza to Open on Hillsborough Street:

Oak City Pizza is a local pizza restaurant with one location currently open in Garner. They recently announced the opening of their second location on Hillsborough Street close to the area across the street from where Zaxby’s is located.

Players’ Retreat to Re-Open in May:

PR has been closed for dining since early last year for a fairly obvious reason. After a brief reopening a few months ago for take out service, PR owner Gus Gusler recently announced that the Hillsborough Street staple was hoping to reopen for outdoor dining during the second week in May.

PR normally seats 150 indoors and 92 outdoors, but with current distancing restrictions, the restaurant is hoping to seat 64 for outdoor dining. Gusler also mentioned that he is working with the City to allow the restaurant to place tables across Oberlin Road in front of the building, which would expand seating to approximately 130.

Italian Kitchen of Raleigh to Replace Subconscious:

I mentioned in a post from last year that Subconscious closed its doors after being a mainstay on Hillsborough Street for a couple of decades at 3209 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607. In my post from last month, I speculated that this space may be the building for the NC State SupDogs location.

However, on a recent drive down Hillsborough, I saw that there is now a sign out in front of this building that says it will soon be home to the “Italian Kitchen of Raleigh”. The red façade at the top of the building has now also been painted green and it appears that some interior renovations are underway.

With new student apartments set to be constructed up the street across from Arby’s, I assume this entire area of Hillsborough will likely start to see more student foot traffic over the next few years as the student foot print of Hillsborough continues to grow down the street in that direction. I’d definitely keep an eye on that massive Alsco Linen and Uniform cleaning service building as where some new residential/commercial development may occur on Hillsborough in the coming years.

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Go Pack.