Prices for Duke students to get low just got higher.
Due to rowdy freshmen and extensive property destruction in the last two weeks, the Durham club Shooters II Saloon has raised its cover fee for Duke students under 21 years old from $5 to $10.
“Something about these kids is totally different this year,” Kim Cates, the club’s owner, said. “I don't know what's happened to them.”
Cates said she has been forced to hire three new bouncers and a new police officer because of unruly students—who have destroyed cabinets and torn the bathroom doors off four times in the past two weeks. She noted there has also been an increase in students trying to get in with their Duke Card but no ID.
“I love Duke students, I try to take care of them, but when I don't get help from them—when they disrespect me and tear up my building—it puts me in trouble,” she said.
An increased number of underaged Duke students have been trying to purchase alcohol, Cates said, adding that her main concern is that this will cause the Durham Alcohol Beverage Control Board to suspend her license.
“They're putting my livelihood at stake," she said.
Most of the students causing trouble are the new freshmen, Cates said.
“I got cameras all over the club, so I know what's going on,” she said. “On my days off I watch the cameras, and you can tell that they are freshmen.”
Cates added that the previous $5 cover for attendees under 21 was a special price for Duke students. She generally charges a $10 cover for everybody else under 21.
“This stuff has not happened in the past,” Cates said. “If they are charged more, then maybe they will learn to respect the whole club atmosphere.”
Freshman Alex Brunson doesn’t think that the increased cover will deter any fellow freshmen.
“I think that the opportunity to be drunk out of your mind and to go somewhere that is acceptable is far too enticing,” he said. “Especially for freshmen taking advantage of their newfound autonomy.”
Fellow freshman Rosalie Cicchinelli agreed, noting that Shooters is a very popular place for freshmen.
"I would go less," she said, "But I think I am in the minority in that opinion."
Sophomore Sammie Thomas said she would still go to Shooters, but probably less often than she normally would.
“The reason everybody goes to Shooters is because it’s the cheapest place,” she said. “If they increase the price, I don’t see why we wouldn’t go elsewhere.”
Cates said that the price increase is not necessarily permanent.
“We've [raised the cover] in previous years and then we stopped it because it got better,” she said. “So it's a possibility, but it depends on them.”
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