Gumby’s Pizza Returns to Hillsborough Street
After scoring a health rating of 60.5 almost a year ago, has moved upstream to a new location, formerly Papa John's Pizza, and looks to reopen soon on Hillsborough Street.
After scoring a health rating of 60.5 almost a year ago, Gumby’s Pizza has moved upstream to a new location, formerly Papa John’s Pizza, and looks to reopen soon on Hillsborough Street.
Gumby’s Pizza is a national chain that previously satisfied the late night cravings of NC State college students. That ended in October when Gumby’s was forced to close due to an extremely low sanitation score. Anything below a 70 is a health hazard, but Gumby’s could barely stay above this line when their first inspection was held in June of 2007. The owner attempted to appeal the low score, failing multiple times. Relocating to a new building looks like it may have satisfied code requirements, especially considering it was previously used as a pizza restaurant.
The Hillsborough Street Gumby’s Pizza received more business than any of the chain’s other stores across the country (approximately 25 stores in 12 states), most of which are situated on or around college campuses. Only time will tell whether this location’s sanitation history will affect business. Surely, the company is seeing loses in their main cash flow if the Raleigh location brought in the largest amount of profit. Bending over backwards isn’t so hard for the animated Gumby, but the new franchise will have to do more than that to succeed with its tainted reputation. The options for pizza in the area are much better, but that late night craving may trade logic for grease: Gumby’s delivers as late as 3 a.m. on weekends. Just be sure not to order extra cheese.
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RaleighRob
07/08 01:53 AM
I didn’t even know Papa John’s closed there. Well I guess if Gumby’s is going to keep the place from sitting empty, that’s a good thing.
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Emily
07/08 03:16 AM
It will be interesting to see if any of their sanitation issues had to do with the old building. That can have a major effect. I for one had a lot of late night love for some pokey sticks.
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Rusty
07/08 04:28 PM
I can’t lie… I’m pretty stoked about this.
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Jason Peck
07/08 04:54 PM
Mmm! Pokey Sticks…
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Ugh
07/10 08:18 PM
I can’t return to Gumby’s after it scored a 60. I assume structural deficiencies as well as limitations have very little to do with sanitation scores.
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Darwin
07/11 03:28 AM
i saw the sign all lit up the other day driving by and was like WHAAAAtt?! HELL YES! i am very excited. as for sanitation, meh. that’s why we have sanitation scores, to keep restaurants from getting us all sick. it’s in gumby corporates best interest, so its in this franchise’s best interest, to keep a good score this time.
besides, i’ve returned to restaurants where i’ve found a snail in my food, and even ones where i sat at a table with a dude that found a roach in his. you can’t assume because they slipped up once that it will always be like that, especially when the food is so good.
boycotting gumby’s would be about as stupid as boycotting exxon because of the Valdez spill at this point. -
packpigskinfan25
07/11 05:38 AM
I was really put off by Gumby’s inability to maintain sanitation, but… I am REALLY craving some Pokey Sticks! I imagine I will return to Gumbys as a loyal customer. Gumby’s > Marco’s ANY day.
btw- the PapaJohns that WAS in this location(beside FedEx Kinko’s and Schoolkids Records), did not shut down- they just moved over to Mission Valley where the old BB&T;or Wachovia was. Right at the corner of Western and Avent Ferry.
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Ugh
07/11 04:34 PM
Darwin, there are a few reasons to boycott Exxon besides the oil spill.
I need to give Gumby’s some time to see what happens there.
And I thought I was tolerant Darwin, but I doubt I could return to a place where a snail and roach were found in food… and I witnessed it. What does that say about us if we allow that sort of negligence to happen without letting these establishments know — in some way — that you can’t feed us anything?!People act as if they are investors in Gumby’s or something. The food is not even that good, and for the most part indistinguishable from other places like it. It’s just pizza, and its history is what makes people slob over that place. Even the greasiest of greasy spoons at truck stops can manage to stay open. Why not Gumby’s?
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RaleighRob
07/11 04:44 PM
pack- Ah that’s right, forgot about that.
So that’s one thing The Mint has in common with Papa Johns—located in a former bank. LOL! -
Darwin
07/12 02:03 AM
ugh - boycotting exxon for valid reasons is fine by me. after the spill though, they cleaned up majorly (they had to), and even overtook most all the other oil companies as far as safety measures. it’s about looking at who’s CURRENTLY doing the best job, and who looks best for the future, not necessarily what happened under the company name in the past. the people responsible for major screwups like that are either fired or jump ship anyway, so boycotting the rest of the company is a poor form of protest. thas’ all.
chances are, the ‘new’ gumby’s will strive to be better than the old one ever was, especially now that the authorities (and customers) are wary of them!oh, and if you think gumby’s is indistinguishable from other pizza places…well.. jesus christ. :D i don’t know what to say man, i feel bad for you. marco’s is the only one that comes close in grease and delicious factor…great…now i’m craving some pizza. :(
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Deb
07/12 04:49 PM
Ugh, have you ever had the Pokey Sticks? Those were a staple late night college feast for most of the people I knew in college, and there is nothing else like them that I have found at other pizza joints (even my favorite ones). And as for structural deficiencies - yes they can play a role. If the building you are occupying is older and has not been properly maintained by the property owner, there are plenty of things that could contribute to sanitation issues. Think mold, windows and doors that are not well sealed, etc.
Darwin is right. Places like this are looked at under a more powerful microscope when they resume business after correcting a major problem. People are going to be holding Gumby’s to a higher standard than the 75 scorers that never made the news and just go on doing the bare minimum in order to stay out of the news. Gumby’s will have no choice but to score higher if they want to stay in business, and they know this.
I can’t wait to have some Pokey Sticks, it has been too long!
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smitty
07/22 11:55 PM
Still not open. Any clues as to when?
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David
07/29 04:41 AM
Ugh, you sound like a chooch. As for boycotting things, why even bother telling us? All that does is insure me that I’ll have to wait behind one less chooch to get my Pokey Sticks when this fancy jam reopens.
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DMONEY!
08/31 02:49 AM
F—K YEAH! I DONT CARE WHAT THEIR SANITATION GRADE IS! I LOVE POKEY STICKS!! MMMMMMM!
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