Collegiate Times

A constant flow of customers streamed in and out yesterday of what used to be a record store, but this time instead of music they had burritos in hand.

Moe's Southwest Grill, one of America's fastest growing chains, was opened to the Blacksburg community yesterday at 11 a.m. The TexMex chain is located on the corner of North Main Street and College Avenue.

Downtown Blacksburg is the prime location of the only Moe's Southwest Grill in the Roanoke Valley. With the closest chain being two hours away in Winston Salem, district manager for Blacksburg Mark Henry said that it was time to bring the Southwest flair to this college town.

"My boss was driving through Blacksburg to see what's here and by chance he saw the old record store was for lease, so he decided this would be the perfect place for another Moe's," Henry said. "We put Moe's in lots of college towns; students like the food and the fun atmosphere."

Moe's is a TexMex fast-casual chain like Chipotle, known for their big burritos and the create-your-own meal option. They take pride in the freshness of their food, cooking everything fresh daily and not storing food in freezers or using microwaves.

What sets Moe's apart from other chains like it is the friendly environment and energetic atmosphere. The music played inside ranges from Johnny Cash to Elvis to Grateful Dead.

"Moe's is like Chipotle with more personality," Henry said. "When people walk into Moe's the first thing they hear is 'Welcome to Moe's!' We have a fun, friendly, enthusiastic atmosphere here with a lot of energy."

Wednesday night Moe's held a friends and family night for employees to practice before opening.

"We served about 250 people Wednesday night," Katz said. "It was a good way to get everyone ready for the opening."

Voted as one of America's top ten fastest growing chains, Moe's Store Manager Bob Katz has high expectations for upcoming business.

"Business has been going really well," Katz said. "It has been extremely packed from the minute we opened the doors."

Moe's plans on becoming involved with the community by allowing fundraising opportunities to schools and organizations. They will help elementary schools raise money on profit sharing nights by donating a portion of profits toward a specific organization.

Moe's will also take part in decorating four vinyl bus wraps around campus. Katz and Henry are also working on becoming involved in other ways.

"For the grand opening there will be street teams handing out freebees in front of the store (next weekend)," Henry said. "They will be giving out T-shirts, sunglasses and other free things."

Moe's is open from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. during the week and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. They also offer catering and delivery to campus housing.