Wofford Terriers have a unique role in the economy of Spartanburg’s culinary scene.
Through the campus-famous Terrier Bucks, or other words known as T-bucks, students get to function as a unique spoke in the wheel that is Sparatanburg.
It’s no secret that the five chosen restaurants that accept Terrier Bucks have been the same for quite some time. While there are on campus options at Burwell Cafeteria, the Galleria and Zack’s in the Mungo Student Center, there are multiple places you can find students eating and spending their prepaid Terrier Bucks at.
Terrier Bucks provide students with the opportunity for off campus dining options. From the ever so famous Cribbs Kitchen to Lime Leaf, students are an unlikely sponsor of the downtown culture of Spartanburg.
“The original idea for Terrier Bucks is to get students to go downtown, to be in Spartanburg and not just (eat) on campus,” said Dylan Goshorn ‘22, student body president. “They’re there to get students to sponsor local restaurants rather than a chain.”
During the summer of 2021, Goshorn began efforts into reforming the student off campus eating options.
“I want (the restaurants that accept Terrier Bucks) to better reflect the students’ interest. Student’s interest has changed in the last five years,” Goshorn said.
After polling students and working with the Business Office, Goshorn realized that there were a few basic criteria that the new options would have to meet.
They have to be in the downtown area of Spartanburg City, be inclusive to everyone including those who have dietary restrictions or who choose certain diets, and would have to be within a certain price where students can find it affordable. Lastly the list of options would need to provide students with a diverse selection.
While the Wofford Business Office makes the final decision, our student representatives in Campus Union also hold a major influence on the decision.
Goshorn and Campus Union sent out a mass survey to the students in reference to the students’ thoughts on the current food selections and what, if any, restaurants they would want instead.
Cribbs Kitchen came back a victor being the most liked. The new potential challengers, however, were Monsoon Noodle House and Burrito Hub.
Goshorn and Campus Union proposed a solution to the outdated off campus dining options: Remove two of them and replace them with newer restaurants that students have declared that they want.
“Spartanburg changes. Restaurants change. What people like changes,”Goshorn said.
There was also the idea that Terrier Bucks could be spent on groceries or supplies in the future at local markets and stores. However, Goshorn and Campus Union are working to push the restaurant recommendations through before the end of the semester so that Wofford’s campus can see it’s effect by the Fall 2022 semester.
Monarch Cafe is one of the most recent changes to the list of options available to students. Liberty Canzater, owner of Monarch Cafe, sees the benefit of providing food to Wofford students.
Monarch Cafe is connected to the Butterfly Foundation, a nonprofit organization who Canzater says “provides culinary job training for individuals who are unemployed, underemployed, (or) previously incarcerated.”
Canzater explained that Monarch Cafe teaches these individuals how to work in a kitchen and then helps to place them in jobs, some of which have been at Wofford. Through eating at Monarch Cafe, Wofford students have the ability to support both the restaurant and the Butterfly Foundation.
“Terrier Bucks are a growing thing for Monarch Cafe: the cafe is seeing them more now than in the previous five years,” Canzater said. “Wofford and Monarch Cafe’s relationship has been in great standing through the Terrier bucks, the job placement and even having Bonner Scholars come to the restaurants to volunteer and learn.”
The Wofford “Bubble” is still very real. However, there are many big reforms happening around campus to change Wofford campus for the better. Some are just as subtle as where you get your meals.
