Blacksburg's Backstreets Restaurant closing, another moving in - WSLS 10 NBC in Roanoke/Lynchburg Va
Member Center:
A restaurant that's
served the New River Valley community for nearly 30 years will close its doors Saturday.
Long lines and hungry
customers packed into Backstreets Pizza and Grill Friday.
"It's probably one of
the best restaurants in Blacksburg" said Rich Clendening who works down the
street and came in for one last meal. "I always get a spagatti which is a Stromboli
with spaghetti and it which is a genius idea and nobody else does it."
"It's really sad that
were losing this part of history" said Sara Tickle has been a customer for 13
years. "I had a first date here with the gentleman I dated for about three
years. It all started here. A lot of graduation dinners here."
"We're going to miss
our employees and friends and everything. It's been great being in Blacksburg
and seeing it change over the years, but it's also exciting to move on to
something new" said Eric Sturm, Backstreets' general manager.
Strum says the
building will be torn down sometime after graduation and a new restaurant will
open in its place next year.
"I think restaurants
are great and of course we love restaurants because they also have meals tax
attached to them, so from a selfish point of view, I think restaurants are just
great downtown" said Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam who added the location is one
that Mellow Mushroom is considering.
Mayor Rordam says
with more living space and retailers going in across the street, the area is
packed with potential.
"I think there are a lot of opportunities for
anyone who wants to have a quality operation downtown" said Rordam who took his
family to the restaurant over the years.
Backstreets will open
for its last day Saturday at 11. They plan to be open until nine but say
they're starting to run out of food.
Our calls to Mellow Mushroom were not returned.
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Telephone: 540.981.9110 
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