Uncle Sam’s Sub’s Oakland location to close

Uncle Sam’s Subs is closing its Oakland location after 35 years of business, according to a sign posted on its door Thursday afternoon. The sandwich shop cited the building as the reason for its closing.

“Due to the age and layout of this building,” the announcement said, “a renovation was unfortunately not feasible.”

The decision to close comes after last week’s health violations from an Allegheny County Health Department inspection report, though Uncle Sam’s did not say in the announcement whether it was related to the closing.

Pitt students still grieving over last year’s Qdoba loss are saddened by Uncle Sam’s closing, especially students like junior computer engineering major Ryan Gabrin, who treated Uncle Sam’s as a headquarters for club meetings and organizing purposes.

“That’s actually why I’m headed there right now,” Gabrin said. “One of our fraternity recruiting events is at Uncle Sam’s so I know that it’s kind of one of the hubs, especially because Qdoba closed down so it’s … become a good spot.”

Pitt senior and biology major Peter Allen only eats at Uncle Sam’s about once a month, but said he’ll miss the sandwiches – and especially the fries.

“Do you know that if you get the sandwich to go they don’t give you fries, but if you stay they give you like two baskets of fries?” Allen said. “So what you have to do is ask to stay, and then ask for a bag and then put it in the bag and leave.”

The sign did not disclose the restaurant’s final day of service and managers were unavailable for comment.

Past and present Oakland residents expressed their love for the sandwich shop on Twitter, recounting past memories and their sadness that it will no longer be an Oakland staple.