Laughing Planet out, Holy Cow stays in EMU

Media Credit: Dave Martinez

The University announced Monday evening it reached an agreement to allow Holy Cow Café to remain in the EMU for another five years. Laughing Planet Café, the restaurant chosen to replace Holy Cow, could not reach an agreement with the University.

Holy Cow's agreement also includes the option to renew its lease for an additional five years beyond the initial term, according to a press release.

"I'm really relieved," Holy Cow owner Kathee Lavine said. "This has been really, really hard on us in all kinds of ways."

The vegan eatery has been in the EMU for 10 years. In January, the University announced that Holy Cow's lease, set to expire June 30, would not be renewed.

Portland-based Laughing Planet was offered the spot in the EMU food court designated for vegetarian or organic dining by the unanimous decision of a committee of five EMU employees and one student. A statement from the company said owners decided to withdraw rather than cause financial hardship to Holy Cow.

Students protested the decision to remove Holy Cow with sit-ins at the food court and letter writing campaigns to newspapers, EMU Director Dusty Miller, ASUO President Emily McLain and John Costello of food services, whom pro-Holy Cow literature dubbed "The Decider."

Lavine said Monday that she was not sure why she was offered a new lease. "I would imagine our legal battle had something to do with it," she said.

A statement from Laughing Planet confirmed that the company decided to withdraw from the space.

"After considering all the issues involved, and listening to all the players in this saga, we requested that the EMU consider an alternative plan that would allow Laughing Planet Cafe to occupy space in the EMU while permitting Holy Cow to remain in their space," a Laughing Planet spokesperson wrote.

"Unfortunately, the EMU chose not to accept this proposal, which could have represented a compromise solution addressing everyone's concerns in a unique way."

Tyler Scandalios, the student who sat on the committee, and Costello said Laughing Planet had operational and logistical concerns about the space and had lost a key staff person at its Blair Boulevard store.

"Personally, I'm disappointed that Laughing Planet backed out of the agreement since they did agree to sign a lease," Scandalios said. "I thought they were going to serve students wonderfully and fit in in the EMU."

Holy Cow employee Mariah Thompson said she was "elated - absolutely elated" by the news, which Lavine delivered personally Monday afternoon.

The University announced Monday evening it reached an agreement to allow Holy Cow Café to remain in the EMU for another five years. Laughing Planet Café, the restaurant chosen to replace Holy Cow, could not reach an agreement with the University.

"I thought there was a good chance we were going to stay because our support was so big. I just didn't expect it to be over so soon," Thompson said. "I think that the student support is probably what made this happen."

 Lavine said she was "really humbled by all of the support we got from the community." A concert to help with Holy Cow's legal costs will be held this Saturday at Agate Hall, and Lavine said it "will now be a very happy, celebratory party." 

rdandrea@dailyemerald.com

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