Another business closes on the UVA Corner

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The College Inn has been serving late-night pizza and gyros to University of Virginia students since 1953, but according to a Facebook post it’s closed for now and many people are in shock.

“Whenever I think of the university, I think of the corner and the College Inn and how good of a restaurant it was,” rising first-year Henry Ford said.

“I’m sad to see it go, but I know it really struggled during COVID,” rising third year Cameron Williams said.

“I thought there would be enough people here to support these businesses. It’s surprising these businesses are closing” Charlottesville resident Ben Brown said.

But, this isn’t the only restaurant saying goodbye on the UVA Corner.

“It’s sad to see these long-standing lunch spots disappear,” Mincer’s University of Virginia Imprinted Sportswear Vice President Cal Mincer said.

Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen and Michael’s Bistro & Taphouse closed in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s definitely weird,” Mincer said.

But like many things, as one door closes another one opens. Chipotle may be moving into the College Inn’s spot very soon. Chipotle has two locations in the area -just up the street in the Barracks Road Shopping Center, and in the Pantops area of Albemarle County.

“I’m excited for Chipotle, but it’s not the same vibe that it was,” Mincer said.

Even though businesses around Mincer’s have closed, there’s hope the atmosphere on the UVA Corner will remain the same.

“I don’t think it’s going to be just us left, but hopefully we’re emerging from the pandemic, and people who made it during the pandemic will be able to pick back up,” Mincer said.

There is an Architectural Review Meeting on Tuesday, June 15, to go over the possible opening of the Chipotle on the UVA Corner.

Copyright 2021 WVIR. All rights reserved.