New updates off Campus

Returning Northwestern alumni and students will notice a few new changes and upgrades that have been made to the campus including the paving of South Hall’s gravel parking lot and the complete renovation to the Student Center. People will also be noticing the recent changes to the Alva community as well.

Some of these changes include the recent face lift the downtown Banc Central, the expansion of Garnett Oil Co and the closing of Taco Mayo. Last fall the addition of the Vanilla Bean coffee cart was a smashing success with the community and college kids. New businesses are hoping to have the same intensity of feed back with their upcoming arrivals.

Some new business ventures include the addition of Shepherd Oil Truck Stop, The Other Place and You Pick. Along with your normal gas station amenities, Shepard’s is sporting a full diner that serves everything from a breakfast omelet to ribs or chicken fried steak.

The diner is open from 6am to 9pm everyday. Shepard’s opened this past week and has received

positive reviews so far. “It looks so new and clean!” said Jordan McLemore, a recent NWOSU alum. “The service was great and the food was even better. Shepard’s seems like a great addition to the Alva community.”

Back in May, the investors of the Angry Bull Saloon bought what used to be Champs which was located on the South side of town, just across from Jiffy Trip. This entire summer they have been working hard to remodel and change the existing building in to what is now going to be called “The Other Place”.

Dalton Costello is a recent graduate from OSU in Stillwater and has returned back to Alva to help his father run their businesses at the Angry Bull and now The Other Place.

“The name The Other Place came about one day when my dad and I were talking about everything that had to be done with the project” said Costello.

“We were having a really hard time finding a name that everyone really liked and really fit. I had just been casually referring to it as the other place because we already have Angry Bull Saloon, so I just looked at my dad and said “why don’t we just call it the other place since that’s all we refer to it as” and it stuck.”

The Other Place is set to open the middle of September and will be offering a variety of food options. “Our menu will have food ranging from steak dinners to fish or pasta entrees.” said Costello. “We are doing this that way people don’t feel like they are always eating the same thing, something that happens a lot in small towns like this one.”

The real question is what will be replacing the old Taco Mayo building. Alexandra Mantz, who

works with the Alva Chamber of Commerce and their Community & Economic Development, said that they are talking with the existing owner and pursuing interests in the building.

“We are always excited to have new businesses look at our community and start a business here” said Mantz. “We also want to assist those expanding or changing their business to fit the current needs or trends.”