Eugene weekly., November 21, 2024, Page 8, Image 8

Wild Duck Legacy Lives On
Student-athlete
ownership revives
27-year-old
community
cornerstone
HAWAIIAN STYLE PLATE WITH CHICKEN
KATSU AND TERIYAKI BEEF. Photo by Eve Weston
BY SAMANTHA SOBEL
A
fter 27 years, Wild Duck Cafe,
a campus-area community
staple, closed in 2022 due to
post-pandemic infl ation. But
Wild Duck made its elabo-
rate comeback last September under new
student-athlete management.
Located across from Matthew Knight
Arena and a stone’s throw from Hayward
Field and Autzen Stadium, the restaurant
is a frequent stop for college athletes,
coaches, sports teams and fans.
Charles Haasenritter and his wife moved
from Hilo, Hawai'i, to Eugene to be closer
to their son, Kilohana Haasenritter, a junior
and a running back on the Ducks’ roster.
Kilohana co-owns the restaurant with his
parents and handles most of Wild Duck’s
public relations.
With no prior restaurant experience, the
Haasenritters jumped right in. “We were
here so much traveling and watching the
Oregon Ducks team, that it made sense for
us to acquire something here locally and
get involved and active in the community
while our son is here,” Charles Haasenrit-
ter says. “It's a unique experience to be an
Oregon Duck and an Oregon Duck parent,
and we wanted to be close enough to be
able to soak in the experiences ourselves
and not have it secondhand.”
Since reviving the establishment, the
menu has evolved, incorporating new
Hawaiian dishes and fl avors. Haasenrit-
ter says, “We have dropped in a little bit
of our Hawaiian, Asian American fl air.”
The versatile menu also features a vari-
ety of burgers, pastas, salads and wings,
many of which are made from scratch.
Wild Duck makes signature cocktails
with its own ginger beer and blueberry-in-
fused vodka made in-house. “The fact
that we go the extra mile and have all this
homemade stuff , it's kind of an anomaly
in today's day and age,” Haasenritter says.
With recent infl ation and people going
out to restaurants less since the pandemic,
the Wild Duck has seen its hurdles.
Haasenritter says, “We are the type
of people that feel like we can overcome
anything when the odds are against us. We
can rise up and fi nd the way. So far, we’ve
done enough to stick around, but we defi -
nitely have to increase events.” So looking
forward, Wild Duck wants to start hosting
gameday podcasts for sports journalists
and work in tandem with the University
8
November 21, 2024
‘Ultimately, what I see the Wild Duck becoming is
a part of the fabric of the university, as an outlet
for them to go and express themselves off-
campus, in an environment that is so loving and
inviting that we can celebrate together about the
good, the bad and everything in between.’
— Charles Haasenritter, Wild Duck Owner
of Oregon to help create a game day atmo-
sphere outside of the arena.
Besides getting to see his son in action,
Haasenritter was inspired by the legacy of
the Wild Duck and the history behind its
previous owners. Bob Jensen opened the
cafe in 1996 as Villard Street Pub before
moving locations in the early 2000s, making
the Wild Duck one of the most beloved
restaurants near the University of Oregon
campus.
“Bob Jensen had this vision of trying to
create a sports bar for Oregon Duck fans,”
Haasenritter says. “They've had concerts
and all types of entertainment. They’ve
done podcasts with athletes and coaches,
and they've done events, and that's all of
the types of things we're looking to build
upon, create and bring back.”
The Hassenritters aren’t just here for
their son; they plan on getting comfy in
Eugene.
“We are here for the long term, and it’s
really about legacy,” Haasenritter says. “To
someone from Hawai'i, family is every-
thing. How you represent your family
is how you show them love. Someone
like Marcus Mariota is probably a perfect
example of someone coming from Hawai'i
to Eugene, Oregon, and doing something
signifi cant that leaves a lasting impact for
many generations.”
The Hassenritters’ goal is to leave a
lasting legacy, aff ect the community in a
positive way and connect the fans with
the athletes who represent the brand they
love so much.
Haasenritter says, “Ultimately, what I
see the Wild Duck becoming is a part of
the fabric of the university, as an outlet
for them to go and express themselves
off -campus, in an environment that is so
loving and inviting that we can celebrate
together about the good, the bad and
everything in between.”
Wild Duck Cafe is open 11 am to 9 pm Monday
through Wednesday, 11 am to midnight Thursday
through Saturday, and 9 am to 10 pm Sunday, at
1419 Villard Street. 541-866-DUCK, WildDuck.biz, @
wildduckcafeoffi cial on Instagram and Wild Duck
Cafe on Facebook.
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