UCLA Westwood Village’s Roll Inn Sandwich a.k.a. “Buck Fiddy” Found Dead
By Victor - Wednesday April 22nd 2009 |
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Beloved sub sandwich shack, Roll Inn Sandwich, frequently affectionately referred to by UCLA undergrads as “Buck Fiddy” for its one-time $1.50 (pre-tax) sandwiches was found dead today on Gayley Avenue in Westwood Village, a “For Lease” sign hanging it its window.
As a reliable late night purveyor of alcohol-sopping subs to stumbling drunkards emerging from nearby Maloney’s after last call, the Roll Inn maintained a foothold in the area even as their prices gradually crept upwards from the 12-bit offerings of their glory days. It upgraded its exterior facade to a White Stripesy candy cane theme, added catering service, and expanded its menu, adding even a bulgogi beef sub. They even installed some of those needles you put on the roof to deter pigeons from landing and shitting you. Even with these improvements, its ramshackle shack sprit was in its bones, kind of like a girl that loses a lot of weight but you can still sort of see the fat girl in them.
For a local business that has hung on in the historically difficult retail climate of Westwood Village for upwards of a decade, the passing may come as a shock. Pending an autopsy, the precise date and cause of its demise was not known.
However, with the present glut of sub shops in the Village, perhaps it was only a matter of time before Darwinism eliminated the weakest of the pack.
At the south end, multinational conglomerates Quiznos and Subway dual to the death over for the Wilshire corridor M-F 9-5 worker bees’ lunchtime $5.
Socko’s Subs, nearest Roll Inn geographically, has has emerged to endear itself to the area in its couple of years of operation with its late hours, home delivery and relatively affordable prices, even if their workers are annoyingly loud when greeting you when you walk in and call you patronizing things like “Boss” and “Chief”.
The newest sub comer to the area, Jersey Mike’s Subs, stirs up a bit of suspicion, as an East Coast chain making their first foray into L.A. city limits. Under a charade of carefully set designed faux deli authenticity–hanging sausages, meat slicers as props, orders scribbled on old school pads–Jersey Mike’s has been schilling overpriced subs in the Trader Joe’s complex since late last year. Whether they are in it for the long haul remains to be seen.
Thankfully, Sandbags (admittedly more of a sandwich shop than a sub shop) and Sepi’s hang on as institutions of the Village, the latter of which is distinguished from the pack by beer, which it has. With any justice, they and not the corporate outlets will reap the benefits of the Roll Inn’s abscence, if any are to be had.
I’ve been wanting a field office so close to the burgers next door. What say we raise it up to LVC.
Oh Man! The memories! I remember one night seeing Kris Johnson (Son of Marques and Ucla bballer himself) get in a fight right there as I noshed on a 10 in grilled beef. Tear.
NOOOOOO!!! As a former Bruin, this saddens me!!!
Even with the multitude of sub shops in Westwood, this one’s a “Buck Fiddy” and thus should stand on its own level! *sob*
Oh well, Gushi’s still there right? (I hope?)
very depressing.
I remember seeing Kris Johnson break up a fight and be the ultimate peacemaker while chowing down on a 6 inch..that guy is a Legend..
What are the college students of Westwood that want late night food juxtaposed early morning explosive diarrhea supposed to do now?
I always thought of the place next door with the delicious cheese fries, hamburgers, and burritos as Buck Fiddy. And from the picture, it looks like that place is alive and well, thank goodness!!
Man that is sad news indeed. I was there for the opening of that place. It was called “dollar fifty subs” even before the name “buck fiddy” was given to it. I guess only corporate crap quality subs from now on!
unbelievably sad… I’ve actually also had it when it was dollar fifty. good times as a summer semester Bruin!
[...] at losanjealous via [...]
i am so sad. I have been there with so many drunk people. It was where you could pick up on the stragglers after drinking. I remember the fights, the punching (and breaking)of the glass by my ol roommate and the workers chasing him with a knife down gayley, the twelb eeench toorkey and the orange bang.
miss you my friend.
The horror!! Once again, big brother with their corporate sandwich conglomerates beating up on the little guys. My favorite “buck fiddy” moments was trying to recall my high school Spanish and joke around with the workers behind the counters. As I would turn around usually to puke in the trash can, they would drop my sandwich and laugh at me. I’m going to miss it.
I blame Midori Sushi in Studio City. That shit’s all you can eat, what shack can possibly compete with that message looming over its facade?
@2 & 5: kris joined us in a 3 on 3 pickup game once at a basketball court in ucla (this was after he had graduated). i remember being surprised by how emotional he got for a meaningless game with a bunch of hacks no less. kris was very cool though and even complimented my game before he left.
er, I have more bad news–Maloney’s (mentioned in the article) is no more.
maloney’s is the same bar, they just changed the name to o’hara’s
I remember walking past Sepi’s with the staff watching porn on the TV.
Buck fitty’s… gone and soon forgotten. What I miss the most is Pennylane records, I had a lot more memories there.
I remember sucker punching Kris Johnson at Buck Fitty. He stole my weed at a frat party a few nights before… But don’t blame it on Kris. Blame it on Steve Lavin.
Actually its “OG” name is “Fake Subs” for all you LA wannabees.
Sadness. I chowed many a (true) buck fiddy on my way to work at Breadstiks over the years – yeah, that dates me.
Okay, it is nowhere near Westwood, but a person can STILL purchase, even in 2009, $1.50 “subs” at the donut shop next to the Frolic Room (Pantages Theater) in Hollywood on the B. That’s pretty amazing. Just bought a roast beef “sub” there a few weeks ago. It was lousy, but I didn’t throw up. For 1 and a half Washingtons, that may be all you can ask. And it’s Red Line adjacent.
At 2:00am, there just isn’t a more delicious sandwich or chili cheese fries… You will be missed, Buck Fiddy.
Does anybody know where thay might have moved?? Those sandwhiches will be missed!!!!
get over it you losers. FIGHT ON!!!
This is the greatest injustice since Diddy Riese raised their prices to 35 cents per cookie! I will tip a forty for you, Buck-Fiddy.
Anybody remember Luis from Sepi’s? Haha, I got smashed with him and former QB Drew Olsen at Msloney’s once. That dude barely speaks English but all of UCLA loved el cuz of the quarter beer night. Anybody hear they turned Brewco into a BBQ spot? That’s wrong.
Sucks to see this place go under. They had the best pastrami sandwich, hands down!
I’m so sad. I had so many memories there. I remember seeing Kris Johnson eating a 6 in. pastrami on wheat while I was fighting a frat guy smoking weed.
hope the new tenant opens up another buck fiddy!!
Buck Fiddy was linked with Habibi Cafe (infamous hookah spot across from the only other hookah spot Gypsy Cafe). The Habibi operation sent Buck Fiddy stale bread just before it was sent to die in our liquid-laden stomachs. The burrito and chili cheese fries place was Tummy’s (top of the ‘O’ cut off because of obvious copyright infringement) — those were the good ol days
Kris Johnson is a LEGEND..an ICON actually
[...] news for some of us alumni: the original Buck Fifty (aka Roll Inn, aka Buck Fiddy) is no more. http://is.gd/vYPb Share and [...]
You guys mourning the loss of this place are losers. I’m an old fart, and to hear that Sepi’s is still there is music to my ears. Okay, maybe Sepi’s isn’t open at all hour of the night, but Sepi’s saved my life (literally) back in the 1980′s, and that’s good enough for me. If it’s not good enough for you, go fuck yourselves.
“I always thought of the place next door with the delicious cheese fries, hamburgers, and burritos as Buck Fiddy. And from the picture, it looks like that place is alive and well, thank goodness!!?”
ME TOO! And that place IS alive and well still…mmm, cheese fries.
I remember eating buck fiddy when my buddy JH/BF (class of ’96) NAMED IT THAT!!! It was also at the same time that the lawyers made Tommy’s next door at the time cut their ‘O’ in half and become TUMMY’s due to copyright infringements.
how in the world did it get an A rating… I remember regularly seeing cockroaches crawl on the counter where you pick up your sandwiches. Of course, that never stopped the 1.50 cravings.
There’s a sign up now that says “Coming soon…Spoc’s Hot Dogs & Sausages.”
[...] Straton’s spot (and about 150 feet from the Westwood C.P.K.). Year-long delays, along with unexplained sudden shutterings, are unsurprising when it comes to the fickle zoning and real estate winds in the Village. [...]
buck fiddy is still there eveyone calm down
Wow. I am super ites.
Who gives a shit? We’re all heading towards extinction anyway. Choke on the pieces of pastrami you fucks.