The only complaint: 'Too much meat on the subs'
Duce Morgan
Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: Arts
In contrast to the fast-food industry's impersonal drive-throughs and time-is-money attitudes, the Hillsdale Filling Station offers a refreshing blend of conversation, atmosphere and take-out sub sandwiches.
Located a block off Broad Street at 88 McCollum St., the small red brick building below an old rickety fire escape welcomes customers into its small entrance where they can watch servers prepare their food. Chalkboard menus adorn a green overhang opening up to high walls and ceilings displaying old Coca-Cola and racing memorabilia.
The Filling Station serves a well-rounded selection of subs, sandwiches, wraps, melts, soups and salads. They also offer homemade Italian dressing, a popular choice. Owner Cindy Bieszk tells her workers to dole out sandwich fillings generously - they layer on hefty amounts of meat, cheese, vegetables and condiments.
They are all about pleasing the customer, Bieszk said. "We don't cut back."
Inside the Filling Station, customers and employees chat like old friends. That employees maintain an intimate relationship with their customers is clear when customers leave with big smiles and even bigger subs.
"This is type of place where someone comes in and they say they want their usual and you know what to get," employee Dede Abbot said.
Abbot and her co-worker, Ellen McClain, have collectively worked at the Filling Station for 25 years. They even stayed on board through an ownership switch in 2001. As they carefully spread condiments and stack portions of ham, turkey, and pastrami, it is easy to tell they take a great deal of pride in their craft.
"The only complaint we ever get is that there's too much meat on our subs, and that is really a good complaint," Bieszk said.
When the noon rush hits, their commitment to service becomes apparent as customers stream through the doors, toting gargantuan sandwiches, steaming cups of soup, soda and chips on the way out.
The shop is a place where locals stop to chat and, weather permitting, sit at an outdoor patio table surrounded by pots of flowers.
Bieszk said a good number of Hillsdale College students have come to the Station but she would love to see more.
"It's unmatched in price and freshness and you get a smile and a handshake," said junior Rich Cook. "It's not Subway. They're not just running you through the place."
Located a block off Broad Street at 88 McCollum St., the small red brick building below an old rickety fire escape welcomes customers into its small entrance where they can watch servers prepare their food. Chalkboard menus adorn a green overhang opening up to high walls and ceilings displaying old Coca-Cola and racing memorabilia.
The Filling Station serves a well-rounded selection of subs, sandwiches, wraps, melts, soups and salads. They also offer homemade Italian dressing, a popular choice. Owner Cindy Bieszk tells her workers to dole out sandwich fillings generously - they layer on hefty amounts of meat, cheese, vegetables and condiments.
They are all about pleasing the customer, Bieszk said. "We don't cut back."
Inside the Filling Station, customers and employees chat like old friends. That employees maintain an intimate relationship with their customers is clear when customers leave with big smiles and even bigger subs.
"This is type of place where someone comes in and they say they want their usual and you know what to get," employee Dede Abbot said.
Abbot and her co-worker, Ellen McClain, have collectively worked at the Filling Station for 25 years. They even stayed on board through an ownership switch in 2001. As they carefully spread condiments and stack portions of ham, turkey, and pastrami, it is easy to tell they take a great deal of pride in their craft.
"The only complaint we ever get is that there's too much meat on our subs, and that is really a good complaint," Bieszk said.
When the noon rush hits, their commitment to service becomes apparent as customers stream through the doors, toting gargantuan sandwiches, steaming cups of soup, soda and chips on the way out.
The shop is a place where locals stop to chat and, weather permitting, sit at an outdoor patio table surrounded by pots of flowers.
Bieszk said a good number of Hillsdale College students have come to the Station but she would love to see more.
"It's unmatched in price and freshness and you get a smile and a handshake," said junior Rich Cook. "It's not Subway. They're not just running you through the place."
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