Collegiate Times

chipotle_center

Excitement was high Tuesday morning as Mexican eatery Chipotle opened the doors of its Blacksburg location for the first time.

Roanoke native Dewey Nelson, who ordered the first burrito at the store, waited in line overnight to reserve his place. Nelson sat at a stool facing the restaurant’s window, eating a chicken burrito with cheese and sour cream. An order of chips and a medium Coke sat next to his burrito.

“Completely worth it,” Nelson said. “I wouldn’t trade this for anything.”

The first few customers who braved the low temperatures were rewarded for their patience.

While the store had not planned on giveaways for the opening, Elizabeth Gaeta, the store’s marketing coordinator said plans were changed after “seeing everybody hanging out in the freezing cold” Monday evening.

Gaeta said about the first 30 customers were given T-shirts and coupons for two free burritos, while the first two customers received special coins commemorating the opening.

“We wanted to give them something,” Gaeta said.

At opening, more than 100 people lined a gravel-covered North Main Street sidewalk as they waited their turn. Adrienne Webb and Rachel Arnold stood with their infant daughters as the queue stretched past neighboring Hokie House.

“She’s so excited she passed out,” Arnold said, cradling her sleeping seven-week-old daughter. Holding a large stroller, Webb laughed when asked whether her 12-week-old daughter would eat anything from the restaurant.

“In a few hours,” Webb said. “That’s kind of how breastfeeding goes.”

Not everyone decided to wait in the line. Tessa Anderson, a sophomore marketing management major, elicited a few groans when she bypassed the line and exited with large to-go bag. She had ordered online.

“I beat the system,” Anderson said. “I heard we could order online, and we got right to the front of the line.”

Anderson said she ordered two burrito bowls, for herself and her roommate.

“I felt bad all these guys waited outside for this,” Anderson said.

A few customers took their food to a small table set up outside rival restaurant Moe’s. Freshman engineering major Rex Lacy ate a burrito with his roommate Tommy Fitzpatrick. The two, who had arrived at Chipotle at 7 a.m., said they were about 15th in line for the opening.

“I feel bad for the envious customers of Moe’s,” Lacy said, looking into the restaurant.

“I’d say I’m concerned, but I don’t care,” Fitzpatrick said, when asked about his dining location. James Doherty, who sat with Lacy and Fitzpatrick, was celebrating his 19th birthday.

“It’s a good day for a Chipotle to open,” Doherty said.

Store manager Jose Barahona estimated by 9 p.m., 1,500 customers had come through for opening day. With only an hour left before the store closed Tuesday evening, a crowd outside the store stretched to at least 30 people.

A version of this article appeared in the Oct 6 issue of the Collegiate Times.