The Mirror Lake Creamery and Grill hosted an open house Tuesday for students to sample food that will soon be offered at the remodeled restaurant.

Previously the Mirror Lake Café, which opened in 1999, the new dining facility has been remodeled to give a fresh face to a historic location.

After almost 10 years since the last renovation and a recent decline in popularity, officials decided it was time for a change.

“It was getting a little worn,” said Tim Keegstra, associate director of Campus Dining Services. “We were having to look at doing something soon.”

The renovation took just more than $1.3 million to complete.

Even with the design challenges of renovating a historical building, the design team completed the brunt of the renovation this summer.

Although there are still things that need completed on the outside, such as two patios, the inside was completed in time for the beginning of Autumn Quarter.

The goal of the renovation was to increase the historical ambience of the building by restoring the plaster in the ceiling, building new wood panels along the sides of the counters and using original stained glass windows as pieces of art on the walls.   

While there is less available seating than was offered before the renovation, the new café will offer a larger space for patrons waiting in line. There are also four cashiers now, an increase from the former facility.

Although the restaurant will offer new fare such as burgers, fries and ice cream, some of the favorites from Mirror Lake Café are still available, including subs, chili and macaroni and cheese.

Rather than limiting the menu, Keegstra said he believes the restoration brings a broader variety of food options.

Mirror Lake Creamery and Grill will offer an easy way for customers to know what they can get for a single swipe. Next to an entrée name on the blackboard menus, there will be a circle with a number inside of it; the number will indicate how many sides you can pick with that entrée.

Ohio-made ice cream will be offered, and officials say they hope to include food options from the Ohio State College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

“The thing that most excites me is having an ice cream destination on campus,” said Abby Hertzfeld, the associate director of Campus Dining Services. “To have a burger, fries and a milkshake is my favorite combination, so I just think that is really cool.”

Students gobbled up the free samples of hamburgers, fries, chips and ice cream while getting the feel of the new place. Free T-shirts, mugs and tiny containers of sprinkles were passed out to curious patrons.

Kyle Kelly, a sophomore in engineering, is welcoming the change but is also thankful that Pomerene Hall’s architecture remained the same. He said he thinks the original building’s character and charm is still intact.

“What we have done is add things, not take them away,” Keegstra said. “We cleaned up because we had to and we added ice cream and burgers. I think it will be more popular. It’s basically the same employees, the same staff and the same student-run place it has always been.”

Mirror Lake Creamery and Grill is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 2 to 10 p.m. at 1760 Neil Ave. in the basement of Pomerene Hall.