By Sydney Crandall
For many of us transitioning from living in big or even mid-sized cities, Buena Vista may seem like a sleepy little town with not much going on. At times it may feel like that extends to the majority of Rockbridge County. It is for this reason that many students are beyond eager to welcome the opening of many new businesses, some here in Buena Vista and others extending into Lexington, cutting down on drive times for popular fast food chains as well as creating a sense of familiarity in many students.
Following are just some of the new popular chain eats and drinks establishments opening up that have students buzzing and in some cases very loudly exclaiming their excitement.
Chick-Fil-A in Lexington
It is “my pleasure” to announce that the home of (almost) everyone’s favorite chicken sandwich. Chick-Fil-A, will be joining us shortly at under a 15 minute drive, located just off of Lee Highway in Lexington, VA. Creating not only the opportunity to ‘Eat Mor Chikin,’ Chick-Fil-A is also a source of some job availability in the area. There is the obvious excitement surrounding the food itself such as the ice cream and frosted lemonades, but there are also those students who are ecstatic about the availability of their dipping sauces. Students such as Kelsey Owens (‘27), can often be spotted at the dining hall carrying her own personal bottle of the Chick-Fil-A Garden Herb Ranch.
Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts
Pumpkin Spice makes its triumphal return every Autumn, and this year the typical drinks of the season are a lot closer to us as we welcome Starbucks to Lee Highway as well. Whether you are a casual enjoyer of the cake pops and other delicacies or an avid supporter of the chain, the arrival of such a big chain to our little Rockbridge County is cause for excitement. Faith Bowen (’27) is an example of the latter as she audibly gasped when she found out that the establishment was already open for business. If Starbucks isn’t your cup of tea, there is also a new Dunkin’ Donuts on the horizon. Rockbridge County will be runnin’ on Dunkin’ before we know it.
Jersey Mikes
If the Round Table isn’t fulfilling all your sandwich wants and needs, you’ll soon be able to go Mike’s way in Lexington as well. As Rockbridge County expands, Lee Highway is becoming a hotspot for chains and bigger businesses, Jersey Mike’s being located there as well.
I expect that these new businesses are just the beginning and that many more of student’s favorites will continue to pop up around Rockbridge County, many in Lexington and maybe some right here in our small town of Buena Vista as well. The opportunity for popular food and places for dates is on the rise with the opening of these new businesses.
Big Growth in Our Little County: What’s New in Rockbridge? was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.