The changing face of USC village

Coming back to campus, students are excited — not just for football games, new classes and reconnecting with friends but also to return with a year of experience under their belts. No longer would students have to worry about finding their way around — or so they would think.

Many expect familiarity when stepping into USC Village. After all, students make countless memories at USC Village: grabbing late-night snacks, studying at Cafe Dulce and fueling up between classes. But amid recent changes, many students feel disoriented. 

Some of the spots many used to frequent were gone, replaced with new signage and unfamiliar names. It may feel like stepping into a rebranded version of a once familiar place. These shifts indicate a pattern that has defined USC Village since it opened. 

A $700 million investment in student life

When USC Village first opened in 2017, it was celebrated as a $700 million investment — not just in student housing, but also as a hub for dining, shopping and student life. Over the years, however, it’s become clear that USC Village is constantly in flux. But what if this was by design?

Jim Dillavou, a cofounder and principal of Paragon Commercial Group — an organization that the University has consulted with to develop USC Village for at least 10 years — said the Village, as with other shopping centers, relies on both large “anchor tenants” that sign long-term leases and bring in the bulk of revenue, and smaller tenants that operate on a more temporary basis.

“USC Village doesn’t have any more tenant turnover than any retail mixed-use project in L.A. In fact, it has less,” he said in an interview with the Daily Trojan in October 2024. “What we’re trying to do, and [college students are] the perfect demographic, is constantly upgrade the tenancy to what both the students and the community need.”   

USC Village’s anchor tenants include Target and Trader Joe’s, major national businesses that enjoy frequent foot traffic. CAVA, he said, also falls under this category, but many of the other clothing and food vendors operate on a temporary basis, shifting based on shopper demand.

This meant, when the University began receiving several requests for a bubble tea cafe, representatives of USC Village began searching for a candidate. In summer 2024, Yoboseo! Superette, a boba and Asian snack shop owned by Cafe Dulce, opened its doors.

“It’s very grassroots in terms of how we reach out to tenants,” Dillavou said. 

This summer was no exception. Several new businesses opened their doors, including Softies, a Korean-inspired burger joint; Live Lagree, a pilates studio; and Jimmy John’s, a popular sandwich chain. Sweetgreen, a fast-casual salad spot known for its customizable bowls, opened Nov. 4.

“Once there’s a sweetgreen in there, that’ll help with people who are vegetarian or vegan, because there’s a lot more options,” said Audrey Fuder, a sophomore majoring in communication, in an interview with the Daily Trojan prior to sweetgreen’s opening.

These recent additions aren’t an isolated wave of change. Aside from Yoboseyo!, Bruxie — a restaurant known for its fried chicken and waffle sandwiches — opened its third Los Angeles location at USC Village in late 2024. 

The fatigue of constant change

As exciting as these openings may be, they speak to a potentially unsettling reality: businesses at USC Village can struggle to survive long-term.

Sometimes the change is for the better, but other times it feels like students must say goodbye to beloved shops each semester. The constant shift can be disorienting, especially for students still finding their routines.

“I would prefer consistency, because it is nice to have your spot to go to,” said Keenan Melton, a sophomore majoring in business administration. “It’s stressful to have to add on the stress of trying different places.”

There’s also a sense of impermanence that can start to build. One might ask the question: “Will I even be able to enjoy this place for more than a year?”The constant arrival of “the next best thing” means nothing ever really has time to become a staple.

One example is Honeybird, a fried chicken restaurant that closed its USC Village location in 2024 after seven years in business. Owner Phil Lee attributed the closure to a mix of factors, including shifting student eating habits and growing competition from other restaurants. 

Major chains like Chick-fil-A and Popeyes operate just down the street, making it potentially difficult for small businesses to keep up, Lee said. However, some businesses seem to have figured it out. Cafe Dulce and CAVA, both original tenants from 2017, continue to draw long lines — sometimes stretching around the building during peak hours. They’ve become synonymous with USC Village, not just because of their longevity but because they’ve built loyal followings.

So, what makes businesses stick?

Yet, staying power often comes from something less tangible than a good menu. Students may show up for the food, but they may return for the feeling a place creates — the sense that it’s more than just another stop between classes. The right hospitality can make a customer feel inclined to return, said Josh Kim, co-founder of Softies.

“Food can only go so far, but hospitality, serving people well, being kind — really just not making it a transactional thing — I think is what creates longevity,” Kim said.

Along with hospitality, brand recognition can also play a role. Many students arrive on campus already familiar with national chains like CAVA or sweetgreen. USC Village is also a unique commercial ecosystem. Its tenants cater almost exclusively to students, yet many of the decisions behind who gets to set up shop are made by USC’s Real Estate and Asset Management department alongside the Auxiliary Services department, which oversees leases, maintenance and by which vendors are chosen — not students themselves. 

“It’s pretty unique in the sense that USC actually has an in-house real estate department that oversees the retail of the properties. Because of that, we have a pretty good relationship with them,” said James Choi, co-owner of Yoboseyo! Superette.

While USC has the final say in these choices, Fuder said she wants greater involvement in the decision-making process surrounding the businesses that operate at USC Village. 

“Student opinion and student influence is super important. It should be valued, considering it’s a university where we’re paying quite a large sum of money to attend,” Fuder said. 

Melton meanwhile said he wants to see more variety of restaurants that feels exciting and familiar to students in L.A.

“First they need to get some more options, like an In-N-Out Burger or honestly anything that is iconic to L.A.,” Melton said.

Beyond preference, though, exceeding rent costs help decide which businesses will survive. 

The economics behind empty storefronts

Retail spaces in L.A. are known for being expensive, and USC Village is no different. These high rents make the stakes even greater. With limited time to build a loyal base — and fewer customers around during the summer — the window for a shop’s success is short. For small businesses, keeping a profit often relies on continuous calculation, Choi said.  

“You’re always looking at rent versus sales and different metrics to make sure that you can pay rent so that it doesn’t feel empty,” Choi said.

At the same time, student preferences are always evolving. Businesses that can’t adapt or create lasting value risk becoming another empty storefront by the next school year.

“[Softies] had to learn really quickly how to train, how to staff properly, but also to meet students where they’re at,” Kim said. “They don’t really know about us. They don’t know our brand. They’ve never been on our Instagram. So, we have tried really hard to make a great first impression.” 

Kim’s experience isn’t unique. Cesar Zaragoza, owner of the Jimmy John’s at USC Village, said that successfully operating in a student-centric environment requires more than just selling food — it requires a strong staff and adapting to the fast-paced, unpredictable rhythms of college life. 

“Training a lot of people, a lot of staff, it can be challenging too. Because we did hire a lot of people to support the needs of the students,” Zaragoza said.

Staffing is only part of the equation — knowing student routines is just as essential to remaining competitive. From tight class schedules to extracurricular commitments, Zaragoza said that students often prioritize speed and convenience, and businesses that fail to meet those expectations risk falling behind.

“Students are busy. You need to come up with something where it’s a grab-and-go. Because most students … they’re in a rush to get to their location, whatever that location is,” Zaragoza said.

Fuder said she would like to see more accessible late-night food options.

“I, along with some of my friends and other students, know that there have been times when we’ve wanted to get food past 10 p.m. and everything is closed, which is very unfortunate and also a little strange for a college campus. … I feel like that’s the biggest hindrance,” Fuder said.

What’s next for USC Village?

As USC Village continues to evolve, students can expect more changes in the coming semesters — more grand openings and, inevitably, more quiet closings. After all, no community space remains static. While the constant turnover might be part of what makes USC Village dynamic, it also raises bigger questions about student voices and what kinds of businesses really serve the needs of the University community.

Because, at USC Village, the only true constant is change.

Lauren Kim contributed to this report.