Keene Equinox

Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Courtsey Photo Two Keene State students play foozeball in the Pub, which came with a complete bar set (seen in the background).

In the 80s, Keene State College had the Pub Club, a small bar on campus bringing an exciting nightlife atmosphere for students. The pub club provided live music and a place for students to get together and socialize. Many alumni have fond memories of the Pub Club and often visited when they came back to campus.

Today's students have no idea what the Pub Club was, or that such a thing even existed. To everyone's surprise, there was. Established in the early to mid 80s, the Pub Club was located in what used to be the old Student Union, now known as Rhodes Hall. The Pub Club was viewed as a laid -back environment where students could hang out with friends and enjoy a live local band. It operated a little like the Flex system, where students paid a $15 fee at the beginning of each semester for a card for entrance and drinks. Russ Cobb, KSC Alumnus and current employee at KSC Information/ Technologist for Online Communications department, said the Pub Club was a great place for students.

"I honestly don't know when it opened, but I do know it was on campus for many, many years," Cobb said. "It was really an institution treasured by the students."

The Pub Club provided the KSC campus and students with live music from local bands all over New England.

"There was a rumor that REM played in the Pub Club in the early 80's," Cobb said. "But I don't know if that was actually true."

Cobb explained the Pub Club's welcoming environment was a place that allowed everyone to come together and have fun, as well as feel comfortable in their environment.

"The best thing about the Pub was the vibe," Cobb said. "It had a lot of characters and was a very welcoming, relaxed and comfortable place. In all the times I hung out at the Pub, not once did I see any bad behavior; no fights, no assaults, no one getting out of control."

According to Paul Striffolino, director of Student Affairs, the Pub Club was closed in the early 90s due to a loss of money and drop in attendance. It was an activity that was partially supported by student fees. However, not all students were able to take advantage of it.

"As director of the Student Union at the time, I felt that it was inappropriate for all students to support the club and not have an opportunity to take advantage of it," Striffolino said. "So when I arrived on campus, I changed that policy and the Pub Club became a business enterprise that could not financially hold its head above water, so it was forced to close."

Cobb offered another perspective to the Pub's closing.

"I think the Pub closed mostly because it couldn't support itself financially," Cobb said. "Also there was a movement to keep alcohol off campus, so having a bar on campus didn't really fit that model."

Many campuses nationwide have bars or pubs on site. Some students have asked, why not Keene State? Although the Pub closed down, some students today think it's time to bring it back.

Senior Ashley Taylor thinks having a pub on campus would be a great idea.

"Having a bar on campus I feel would be ideal to almost every 21-year-old student here at KSC," Taylor said. "I feel like it would attract a crowd in a positive way, plus Keene State is bigger now, so I feel like a pub would bring in more money than it did back in the early 80s."

Senior Christy Fowler feels a pub atmosphere on campus would eliminate problems that arise off campus.

"If there was a pub on campus, I think drunk driving would definitely go down," Fowler said. "Campus is closer for many students, and now there are taxis and other ways for students not on campus to get home safely. Plus, I feel like a lot of issues that occur off campus, will not arise on campus."

To some students the idea of reinstating a pub onto the KSC campus is still very real, but for others like Cobb it is just a memory. Cobb reminisced the days of his Pub experiences, and remembers nothing but positive things.

"Many nights, there would be a line from the door of the Pub, down the stairs, past the old bookstore and out Appian Way," Cobb said. "It was a great time at KSC and the Pub was a place of real campus community."



Brittney Hines may be contacted at bhines@keeneequinox.com.

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