Bye-bye Papa John

[Albert]

Well, I didn't expect Papa John's UH-Manoa effort to last very long, but I am surprised they gave up so quickly. Their rather garish "big box" in front of Webster/Spalding Hall has been repainted in the standard, boring pinkish-gray color used throughout the campus. (A writer in the student newspaper did complain about the original paint job, which was like a billboard for Papa John, also complained that it was in an "historic location", which I didn't understand at all.)

What I did understand, after one test, was that although the pizza at Papa John's on Kapiolani near Ala Moana Center is quite decent, what they were offering at UH-Manoa were very tiny pizzas kept in some kind of heated locker. Dry, almost tasteless, by the time they were purchased ... by idiots like me.

[Albert]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

Something strange is going on. That "box" re-opened today, with the same menu options for pizza, but not a word about it being Papa John.

Maybe they are having more discreet signs made?

[pzarquon]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

Might've been a "billboard law"/Outdoor Circle tiff. If the visibility of the Papa John's trademarks were garish enough to warrant an editorial (could you see it from any public street?), I can imagine it must've definitely rubbed Manoa-ans the wrong way.

[Albert]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

Ryan wrote:

"Might've been a "billboard law"/Outdoor Circle tiff. If the visibility of the Papa John's trademarks were garish enough to warrant an editorial (could you see it from any public street?), I can imagine it must've definitely rubbed Manoa-ans the wrong way."

No, it couldn't be seen from anywhere off-campus, but was blatantly obvious from some distance, especially since the overall color "concept" at UH-Manoa is so bland. It's odd that Ka Leo hasn't followed up on the story, but then that newspaper is even more dreary than usual thus far this academic year.

[Albert]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

Well, it really is gone now.

(I'm not at all surprised.)

[pzarquon]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

Someone told me that the outside vendors left campus en masse, because the standard contract with Sodexho/Marriott had a built in, untenable increase in rent upon renewal. It's almost as if they made it attractive to outside vendors so they would do the infrastructure build-out, but then forced them out to take advantage of it themselves (rather than, you know, actually investing in improving their own facilities).

[Albert]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

"Someone told me that the outside vendors left campus en masse, because the standard contract with Sodexho/Marriott had a built in, untenable increase in rent upon renewal."

Sodexho also made it very, very difficult ... they even erected a little plate-lunch box place immediately behind the former Papa John trailer. (Sodexho's trailer remains.)

[Albert]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

Well, according to Ka Leo today, even the much-touted "Ono Pono" concession may be in trouble. The site is up for auction, and the highest bidder will win the spot.

Very short-sighted policy.

[UH Manoa SUCKS]

Re: Bye-bye Papa John

I want to get the Sodexho contract ELIMINATED. They have an outrageous monopoly on everything that should be obliterated from this ridiculous, inefficient, short sighted, pathetic, campus.

How do I get a hold of the contract so I know what I'm dealing with?

How do you guys all know stuff about it?