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You?ve just returned from a fun night out and since you?re completely out of Easymac and boiling water is way out of your current physical jurisdiction there?s only one thing to do, order Pokey Sticks.
Fred Danner works 55 hours a week and those are all in the wee hours of the morning, when students are calling to order his famous late night munchies. Danner, co-owner of Gumby?s Pizza in Blacksburg for the last 14 years, has worked in the pizza industry for quite some time. ?I have been in the pizza business since I was 15 ? and I?m 37 now,? he said. Gumby?s Pizza in Blacksburg is one of 26 shops spread nationwide, all of which are near college campuses.
Virginia Tech is actually the smallest college town in which Gumby?s currently operates? it used to exist in Charlottesville, because of UVa, but that location has since shut its doors.
Gumby?s is open various hours throughout the week. Monday through Thursday hours are from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays it opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 3 a.m. with the exception of midnight on Sundays. ?We do the majority of our business after people get drunk, which is anywhere from midnight to 3 a.m.,? Danner said. ?There is a bar rush every night, with Tuesday being the biggest week night. Slurring customers call wanting pizza.?
Right now, Gumby?s of Blacksburg operates as a carry-out/delivery food joint, but there are hopes to perhaps become an eat-in bar.
?Some larger campuses have eat-in restaurants and bars that are doing well,? Danner said. ?There have been talks of expansion here.?
Danner said if Gumby?s were changed to include a bar/eat-in restaurant, it would not happen for at least two years, in addition to the fact that there is a limited number of alcohol licenses allowed in town.
Ranae Gillie owner of both Gillie?s and Bollo?s has been cooking and baking for ?thirty-some years.? Gillie?s, an eat-in/carry out restaurant with vegan, vegetarian and seafood menu options, and Bollo?s, a popular coffee shop located on Draper Road, are special in that all the food ? the bread, the pastries, the soups ? is made from scratch. Gillie also attempts to use as many organic products as possible. Gillie?s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. ?We do carry out and catering ? we?ll do just about anything,? Gillie said. ?I don?t shy away from a lot of things other people would ? I?m usually open to just about anything.?
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