FREEDOM OF SPEECH

I’D LIKE MY SUB FRIED, JUST LIKE ME

By Matt Leonard | The Village Times
Published: September 26, 2007

Being raised in a culture whose sub-sandwiches are dominated by the likes of Subway and Quiznos, it is nice to find a place that is independent from the established norm. That place is called Cheba Hut and with three locations throughout Arizona and two in Colorado, Cheba Hut serves as a ’sub-culture’ in a sandwich-arena that is filled with chopped lettuce and condiments.

Cheba Hut is the place for old hippies and college students to go when they got a bad case of the munchies. After looking at the menu, it is not hard to see why. Do you like chicken? Why not try the ‘White Widow’ – with the ‘homegrown’ dressing of course – or how about the ‘Jamaican Red’ spicy chicken? Ah, I see your more into turkey. May I suggest our ‘Afghani’ spicy turkey sub? If you like beef, the ‘Chronic’ was made for you. Vegetarians do not worry; we saved the best of the ‘Train Wreck’ feta cheese sub for ya’ll. Hey, don’t let the titles confuse you. All names on the menu ‘refer’ to subs only, any similarities are purely coincidental. At least that is what we are told.

As the menu suggests, the atmosphere of Cheba Hut has as much to do with its draw as the food. What else could anyone expected from – as the establishment has so accurately self-proclaimed itself to be – the ‘Home of the Blunts’? Walk into any Cheba Hut location and one will immediately get the impression that they have just entered a head shop. Posters sporting the likes of cannabis advocates such as Jerry Garcia and Bob Marley rule the walls. The knowledge that the 9th annual Amsterdam Cannabis Cup was held in the fall of 1996 will be unbeknownst for those who do not go to Cheba Hut. Who won the ‘96 Cannabis Cup? Well, unfortunately for us, Cheba Hut doesn’t necessarily relay all of the information about the wall decorations. (The winner for the best biological strand in 1996 was the White Russian; best hydroponics strand went to NL5 x Haze/Kali, Northern Lights #5 mixed with Haze and Kali. Just a little FYI.)

The Cheba Hut employee’s also hold his or her own in keeping up with the atmosphere of the place. With Tie dye t-shirts, tams (Rasta hats) and a never ending smile on every employees face, the workers of Cheba Hut serve to make sure that your food is enjoyable and your environment friendly and care-free.

Cheba Hut should serve as a model for what a sub shop should be. A welcoming and unique atmosphere filled with all the elements of artistic sandwich making is something that a sub shop should not be without. In the words of the Cheba Hut Franchise, “The Cheba Hut experience is simple. We combine homegrown food, with excellent service, real people, and a ‘relaxed’ atmosphere. Escape the established. Cheba Hut: Where the only thing fried is the occasional customer.”

LOCATIONS:
1) Tempe, AZ
906 West University Drive

2) Mesa, AZ
1710 West Southern Avenue

3) Tucson, AZ
1820 East 6th Street

4) Boulder, CO
1313 College Avenue

5) Fort Collins, CO
104 East Laurel Street