Welcome to the Neighborhood: The Town of Grinnell Welcomes Renfrow Hall Students
On the cozy patio of Hotel Grinnell, the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a welcome event for students who will be moving into the new Renfrow Hall residence this upcoming year. Renfrow Hall is located on Broad Street, right in the heart of downtown Grinnell.
With the help of Grinnell’s Department of Residence Life, students got a preview of the neighborhood with generous free samples from local businesses, including signature Grin City Bakery donuts, farmer’s market goodies, delicious pizza, and more.
According to the President and CEO of Grinnell’s Chamber of Commerce Rachael Kinnick, about 95 students came to interact with the town’s local business owners and employees, as well as their future fellow Renfrow residents.
Though the building’s construction timeline was delayed, Kinnick was determined to extend a warm welcome. “In the meantime,” she remarked, “we want students building relationships with not only our office at the Chamber of Commerce but also with all our downtown businesses. We want them to know they are welcome here and that we are excited to have them.”
Small businesses, including Paglial’s Pizza, Jay’s Deli, Grin City Bakery, and merchants from the farmer’s market, all participated in welcoming the students to downtown Grinnell. Some businesses, like Pagliai’s Pizza, will start accepting student’s Dining Dollars, a College meal plan originally used solely on the Grinnell College campus.
“I’m most excited that [students] will be so close to our restaurant and […] that’ll be really neat to get them integrated into the town,” says Joey Pagliai, the current owner of the locally famous pizzeria. “And also, we’re going to start delivering over to Renfrow, so that’ll be really cool.”
The Chamber of Commerce also arranged a scavenger hunt as a way for students to interact with the town. When students arrived at the welcome event, they were not only greeted by a DJ and fun tunes, but also with a bingo card with riddles. The answers? Names of local businesses — once at the location, students could ask the local owner or employee to sign off on their bingo card.
“Our businesses are excited to have so many new residents right next to them, and so we wanted to be good community partners and welcome students to the space,” says Kinnick. “We also [had] a bingo card that students [received] so that they [could] go around and solve different riddles … and get them into the different businesses in a non-committal sort of way.”
Students also received a Renfrow Hall Student Discount Card on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, valid through the academic school year. Participating restaurants and retailers provide discounts and deals to Renfrow Hall students who present their discount cards — such as Beckman’s Gallery and Gifts, Bates Flowers by Design, and Brown’s Shoe Fit.
“I am grateful that our member businesses often trust the collective vision and engage for the greater good of our community,” shared Kinnick in the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce newsletter.
Of course, the event’s success would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of the Department of Residence Life. Dennis Perkins Jr., assistant dean of residence life and student conduct, shares, “When we thought about building [Renfrow Hall] downtown, we said we wanted it to be more than just for students. We wanted it to be the start of a town-college relationship.”
Kinnick’s advice to the new Renfrow Hall residents?
“Get involved and ask questions. Locals will absolutely share their ideas and help people get connected!” she says with a smile. “We want students to have an engaging experience, whether that is with our office or our local businesses.”
About Renfrow Hall
Renfrow Hall will be home to Grinnell College students who have demonstrated a commitment and desire to build a stronger community. The building is named after Edith Renfrow Smith ’37, the College’s first Black alumna, its oldest living graduate, a Grinnell High School graduate and Hall of Fame inductee, and a groundbreaking and courageous human with a legacy of service, coalition-building, advocacy, and aspiration.
On Sept. 27 and 28, Grinnell College celebrated the dedication of Renfrow Hall, honoring the life and legacy of Renfrow Smith. The events acknowledged her and her family history in Grinnell, thanked donors to the facility, involved members of the Grinnell community, and showcased the work of Grinnell students and faculty.
