The J-TAC

Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Caitlin Fuquay 535 items were up for auction at the former dining hall last Tuesday. Everything from chairs to nacho machines were included.

Media Credit: Caitlin Fuquay Even though turnout was low, Dean of Students Rusty Jergins still considered the auction a success.

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, Tarleton's old dining hall played host to an auction that allowed the general public to bid on the building's contents. The auction began at 10 a.m. as participants moved through each room of the building to inspect items on which they wished to bid.

There were 535 items listed on the auction catalog. Everything in the building was included, ranging from large kitchen appliances and serving lines to tables, chairs and crates of dishes. Even paintings on the wall and restroom fixtures were included in the auction. Bidders were responsible for the shipment of their own items and were told to have all purchases out of the building by Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Dean of Students Rusty Jergins said that many items were transferred to the new dining hall after the facility was built, and what they could not use there was put into the auction. He also said that the money raised at the auction would be put back into the dining hall account to offset some of the equipment costs of the new facility.

The turnout included approximately 50 people, which Jergins said he felt was a disappointing number. He believed a larger number of participants would have helped to drive bids higher during the auction.

"You had to have a need for that type of equipment for you to show up," said Jergins. "Because we had few in number, the competition of the bidding is not what I hoped it would be."

Despite the low turnout, Jergins said he still considered the auction a success.

"We sold all of the items, and the money that was raised is more than what we had," said Jergins. "We would have to dispose of the items one way or the other; either through the auction or demolition."

While many bidders at the auction were restaurant owners looking for equipment, some were just interested in the sale.

"I bid on the milk dispenser and a kitchen serving area just for fun," said participant Effie Leatherwood.

Fellow bidder Larry Moore said he purchased a bundle of hanging pictures, several chandeliers and a countertop. He said he plans to turn the counter into a work bench in his shop and resale the chandeliers at a later date.

Janice Quade said she was attending the auction on behalf of a relative that is in the process of opening her own restaurant. Quade bought the salad bar and creation center, which is the grill area in the center of the old dining hall that was used to prepare steaks.

Jergins said the old dining hall is scheduled to be demolished in October and replaced with a grassy area. All purchases not picked up by bidders by Tuesday Sept. 30 will be discarded.

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