Owens Hall
Dining hall; first used September 1939. Cost $358,212; 97,688 sq. ft.; renovated extensively in 1959; addition on side completed in 1970. Owens Hall now contains Hokie Grill & Co., home to Pizza Hut®, Chick-fil-A®, Blue Ridge Barbecue, and Cinnabon®. A soup, salad, and fruit bar are offered along with deli sandwiches and bakery-style cookies. There is also a large meeting room available.
John Joseph Owens
John Joseph Owens (1874-1940) was Mess Steward from 1917 to 1940. Affectionately known as "Pop," Owens modernized the VPI dining hall and improved cuisine. The genial Irishman was interested in cadets' welfare and became their friend and advisor, further winning their hearts with annual Thanksgiving feasts. He convinced sophomores to eliminate the traditional sophomore night, which had included dynamiting, in favor of a banquet; led cadets in helping to build a chapel; and helped found the Catholic Club of VPI.
Address: Kent Street (Lower Quad) | Map Grid: N-5
Originally Built: 1939 | Abbreviation: OWENS