Collegiate Times

For those who crave southwestern Tex-Mex style restaurants and are disappointed by their absence in Blacksburg, the wait is over.

A Moe’s Southwestern Grill will open this August in the empty space on the corner of Main Street and College Avenue. The open space, which has been vacant for nearly a year, once housed the popular record store Crossroads CD’s.

“We are excited to put a new restaurant on the corner,” said Doug Walsh, the general manager of Lester Properties, which owns the building.

Ever since Crossroads left due to legal problems with the building’s owner last March, Lester Properties has had a difficult time trying to find a business to fill it. However, this new franchise is expected to have positive effects on the town.

“I think it is beneficial and gives more foot traffic,” said Joe Castle, the manager of Peewee’s Pit Barbecue restaurant, the neighboring venue to Moe’s that has been open since November.

Moe’s is a chain of restaurants across the country that serves burritos and tacos in a Tex-Mex fashion.

“We expect students and younger residents to eat here,” Walsh said. “The restaurant caters to a college-age demographic.”

The lease and construction costs of the restaurant have yet to be determined due to a lack of agreements with the building officials. Walsh stated that fire separation issues, which come from the residential living spaces above the restaurant, haven’t been signed yet.

“We will hopefully begin construction shortly in April,” Walsh said.

Moe’s Southwestern Grill is set to open in August near the beginning of the fall semester. The installation of the restaurant will fulfill the completion of the entire building.

“I don’t think the restaurant is going to be a problem for our business because it is a completely different type of food,” Castle said. “We welcome new businesses and think the choices so for are good.”