By Karen Blackledge
DANVILLE — Had your fill of the recession? If not, the Danville Sub Shop might help.
The Mill Street eatery is responding to the economic downfall not by raising prices, but by adding more meat and cheese to many of its offerings.
“The economy stinks, people are laid off, and I want to give more to my patrons,” owner Tina Randello said. “God bless the people who come in here. I want to be giving to them instead of taking from them.”
Cheese and meat are being doubled on the regular subs, which are Italian subs and the shop’s most popular, she said. Extra meat is being placed on other subs, such as ham, turkey, cheese steaks, garden cheese steaks, garden ham steaks and cosmos.
“Everyone is jumping up prices, and small business people are not getting any help,” Randello said, adding that utilities and food costs are rising — but her prices are not.
“I haven’t raised prices in two-and-a-half or three years,” she said. “People ask me ‘Aren’t you going to raise prices?’ and I say no.”
A blackboard easel in front of the shop at 220 Mill St. is catching attention.
“That’s great,” said longtime customer Catherine Swatski, of Danville.
Said Randello: “This is a bad time with people losing their jobs and being laid off. We are treating them to extra meat and making the best of a bad time.”
“I am trying to give something back. ... I am trying to give back to my patrons. Times are tough, and people can’t go out and do what they want that they used to do. I am thanking the people for still coming here. I’m still here.”
The shop, open seven days a week, will observe its 41st anniversary in June.
“Tony (her late husband) would be proud we are still here today,” she said.
She plans to add extra meat to subs “as long as the recession holds up.”
