Hey Days
Way back in 1983-1985, when dinosaurs roamed the planet, I was a Juco transfer at Auburn University. During this time, Auburn certainly didn’t have the number of restaurants that exist today.
In my junior and senior years at the Loveliest Village on the Plains, I dined at Po’ Folks, Country’s BBQ and Shoney’s the most; unfortunately, only Country’s is still in business today (actually, the restaurant is temporarily closed and will reopen on Aug. 12 in a new building, and Mike and I are excited).
When I was a senior, my roommate was a sweet girl named Angie. She was a junior.
Angie and I lived at an apartment house which originally had been condemned dorms until a local realty company bought and restored the building. Our furnished apartment was tiny, being only 625 square feet. My cousins’ gigantic walk-in closet in Columbus was almost that big. But I digress.
Once a week, Angie and I would visit Po’ Folks, where I always ordered fried chicken on the bone (surprise, surprise), and she chose the fried chicken livers. Although I love the girl, I can’t bring myself to eat a chicken’s organ.
After I graduated from Auburn in 1985 and Angie finished in 1986, Po’ Folks sadly closed. Apparently, we had been keeping the restaurant financially afloat.
Now, in 2024, the city of Auburn and Auburn University look a lot different than they did 39 years ago. For instance, Mike and I had heard about the Hey Day Market Food Hall and Gathering Place, which opened on Aug. 16, 2022, at 211 South College Street. Therefore, we decided to dine there.
The Hey Day Market had music playing, and the interior was bright and cheerful. The building has nine restaurants and a bar: Cubanita, Khoodles, Little Darling Burger Co., Loud Roots, Maison Crepe, Pizzeria Ariccia, POKEMEN, Saint Bernardo, The Bar and WildChild.
Mike chose Little Darling Burger Co. and ordered buttermilk fried chicken fingers and French fries.
I picked Pizzeria Ariccia and ordered a pepperoni pizza.
Mike really enjoyed his chicken fingers and his large pile of fries. My pizza, which had imported red wine cured pepperoni, San Marzano sauce and mozzarella was delicious; it was SO cheesy, and you can NEVER have too much cheese.
Besides Mike’s great meal, Little Darling Burger Co. also serves a variety of hamburgers, a char-grilled Darling Dog, a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, hand-spun milkshakes with Artisan cream and floats.
Also, besides my tasty, cheesy pepperoni pizza, Pizzeria Ariccia also serves a Buratta e Basilico pizza, which has San Marzano sauce, burrata, basil and extra virgin olive oil; a porchetta, which has peperonata sauce, porchetta and mozzarella; the Bianca, which consists of garlic cream sauce, fennel sausage, mozzarella, cracked black pepper and parsley; the impegno, which consists of fennel sausage, pepperoni, roasted peppers, mozzarella and chile oil.
When we were leaving the Hey Day Market, we saw parents at an outside table chatting while their children were having a blast playing. Outside the Hey Day Market is a miniature golf course, cornhole boards, large Connect Four games and a giant television on the side of the building. If you have children or grandchildren, they will love it.
Hey Day Market is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hey Day Market Food Hall and Gathering Place makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!
Stcey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” appears every other week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@gmail.com
