Wednesday, 5/14/97 Sandwich stand offers student-friendly fare
WESTWOOD: ‘Buck Fifty’s’ popular in community for low prices,
late-night hours
By Carol McKay Daily Bruin Contributor As the bars in Westwood
begin to close in the wee hours of the morning, there are only so
many places drunk students can stumble to, prolonging their evening
out on the town. One of those places is Subbies Roll-Inn, a tiny
sandwich stand on Gayley Ave., that, according to owner Harry
Naghieh, welcomes inebriated students at any hour of the day. "We
get all kinds of people, especially students. And we stay open so
late because when the bars close, or when parties are ending,
people are hungry. Especially in the Spring," Naghieh said. And
usually they’re drunk. "Yeah," he smiles. "But that’s when they’re
spending money the most." The store, which is more commonly known
to students as "Buck Fifty’s," has been a popular spot for students
for almost four years. "We’re cheap," Naghieh said. Buck Fifty’s
has earned its nickname due to its most popular item, the 8-inch
submarine sandwich, most often ordered with chicken. The sandwich
costs $1.50, a price which students find very tasty. "Buck Fifty’s
is so cheap," agreed Maria Chi, a first-year history student,
placing a wrapped sandwich into her opened backpack. Chi, who
orders her chicken kabob sandwich with extra mustard, said she
appreciates the store’s proximity to campus. Coming from her dorm,
the trip is only about fifteen minutes on foot. "When I’m hungry
and I’ve run out of meals at The Dykstra Cafe, I totally go here,"
she said. Like Chi, other students in the dorms often go on "Buck
Fifty’s runs," begging friends for use of their cars to make the
trip even shorter. The store, which is located between two other
independently-owned food stands and a parking lot, is busiest
during lunch, dinner and late at night. It stays open until 3 a.m.
daily, and it serves customers from all walks of life, including
UCLA students, staff, and Westwood employees and residents. Getting
people to spend money on his products has not been terribly
challenging, Naghieh said. "I have been very lucky. People like my
sandwiches," he said, knocking the slab of wood in front of him
with his knuckles. The boards, which make up the countertops at
Buck Fifty’s, along with several metal stools, constitute the
store’s entire dining area. "When I came here, this was the only
place I could get," due to the high prices of Westwood property, he
said. "But we could obviously do with a bigger place. With five
employees in a space smaller than the size of a dorm room, and
outside seating that is not much larger, the Buck Fifty’s
experience can be one that is slightly claustrophobic, especially
during its most crowded hours late at night. But however small Buck
Fifty’s is – "I think it’s about 3 or 400 square feet. I don’t
know, I never really measured," said Naghieh – students don’t seem
to mind. "We’re definitely not paying for a fine dining
experience," Chi said. "It costs a buck fifty. I can deal with bad
seats." Other students, however, expressed concern over the
sanitation of the stand. "With the low prices, you kind of wonder
about the quality of the food," said Argenta Cornejo, a first-year
biology student, who swears to have never touched a sandwich from
Buck Fifty’s while sober. "I think I’ve only eaten there when I was
severely drunk." Naghieh admits that his business may suffer from
an image of poor cleanliness. Or lack thereof. "A lot of the time,
it looks like it’s never been cleaned," he said, looking around.
"You just need two or three customers to buy a couple of
sandwiches, and then there are tomatoes everywhere. "But we have to
deal with the health department like everybody else," he added. The
high level of traffic near the store also contributes to the
less-than-shining dining facility, but the students who frequent
the store seem to be able to tolerate a little clutter. "It’s not
the cleanest of places, but for the price, it’s worth it," said
Khoi Pham, a first-year biochemistry student, who often jogs to the
store to pick up a sandwich, which he simply brings back to his
dorm rather than eating it there. Naghieh likes it better when
students stay. "It’s a great job," he said. "I enjoy the
interaction with students. They are fun people." JAMIE
SCANLON-JACOBS Students enjoy some late-night food at Subbies
Roll-Inn. Previous Daily Bruin stories: Campus grill closed for
violations