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Blacksburg staple, Sub Station II, set to close in December

BLACKSBURG, Va. โ€“ โ€œI met my wife here and then we got married, and then we opened Sub Station in โ€˜86โ€ณ

Hamid LaPuasa has lived in Blacksburg running Sub Station for nearly 40 years.

During his time here, heโ€™s made a staggering amount of sandwiches.

โ€œWe tried to estimate, my kids, my employees, probably about close to four million.โ€

He said since he opened the Sub Station back in 1986, his goal was to always become part of the community.

โ€œYou have to be involved,โ€ said Lapuasa. โ€œItโ€™s the little thing for the community that they can appreciate, and they will support you.โ€

Now, he said the time has come to close up shop.

โ€œIโ€™ve put 37 years in, Iโ€™m 69, so I was like, โ€˜Itโ€™s time to go, itโ€™s time to hang it up.โ€

Sub Station II has been a staple for Blacksburg residents and Virginia Tech students for more than three decades now.

10 News wanted to get their take on hearing this news

โ€œI raised my kids here, they both graduated from Blacksburg High School,โ€ said Brad Buchanan, a Blacksburg local. โ€œWeโ€™ve been doing this for a long time.โ€

โ€œMy wife walked in she said have you heard the bad news, and I was trying to think of all the things it could be โ€“ never once considered that this was even on the table,โ€ said Joe Morgan, another Blacksburg local.

One woman said sheโ€™s been coming here for years and was even emotional going through the line.

โ€œYou get this mixed emotion because everybody has the right to retire but when he has been a friend of mine for this many years it is just a really big deal,โ€ said Katherine Hall.

LaPuasa said Sub Station II will stay open until December 21, 2023, no matter how busy they are.

โ€œThrough the last day I am going to make sure that everybody gets what they want,โ€ LaPuasa said.

He said he plans to take a much-needed break and spend time with his family and friends.


About the Author
Thomas Mundy headshot

Thomas grew up right here in Roanoke and is a graduate of Salem High School and Virginia Tech.