Little Caesars may be history, history

The Little Caesars in Houston Hall may soon be history, history. University Associate Director for Student Life Thomas Hauber said last week that the pizza franchise chose not to renew its lease but is still bidding to remain in its current site next to Skolnik's in the basement. "[Little Caesars has] not picked up their option to renew their lease," Hauber said. "Therefore we put the space . . . up for proposals." Hauber said that he has received five proposals for the space and that the University is negotiating with one of the bidders. Hauber would not say who the University is considering for the space because the formal legal documents had not yet been signed. "I'm hoping that after Thanksgiving we'll have a firm, signed contract," he said. He said Little Caesars was one of the five applicants, and that the pizza place was attempting to secure new rental terms. Hauber added that the Office of Student Life was disappointed with Little Caesars performance, although he declined to mention specifics. Al Sebastian, a spokesman for Little Caesars national offices in Detroit, confirmed that Little Caesars was bidding for the space, although he did not know what the University's decision would be. He said the restaurant would like to remain in Houston Hall. Some University students said last night that their feelings about Little Caesars possible departure would depend on what would replace it. "I would say [Little Caesars] is fine where it is," College senior Ben Bewick said. "But it depends on what comes in, what they replace it with." "It depends on what moves in and how cheap it is," College freshman Keith Antonyshyn said. He said he hopes that if Caesars is replaced, Playa Loco -- a chain he described as "KFC goes south-of-the-border" -- would move in. College junior Jeong Yoon said that if Little Caesars departed, it would not bother him very much. "There are a lot of pizza places around here," he said. "It wouldn't affect me either way, I guess." But College sophomore Elliot Karetny said he would miss Caesars if it left. "I probably would [miss it,] because there's not really any other good pizza places around," he said. "So I tend to stick to [Little Caesars.