Sandwiches special at Leesville eatery
By Jon Busdeker on May. 17, 2007
In the cramped kitchen of the Leesville Sports Grill & Deli, Cindy Stone is a cooking celebrity.
“It’s my second home,” she said.
She’s been a fixture in the restaurant for more than 15 years.
Stone can whip up a mean grilled turkey sub, a tasty chicken salad sandwich and a Reuben that makes you say, “Wahoo.”
It’s because of her and owner Rocky Mitchell’s creations, the regulars keep coming back.
Leesville Sports Grill & Deli, located on Leesville Road across from Heritage High School, is an eatery for anyone looking for a quick lunchtime meal or a place to relax after work.
The menu offers a wide array of subs, sandwiches and burgers with sports-themed names like J.J.’s 3-Pointer, the Lunch Bunch Par 3 and the Wahoo Reuben.
The Hornet’s Grand Slam — Mitchell’s favorite item — is a hot roast beef sub topped with lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, green peppers, melted Swiss cheese, honey mustard and Rocky’s special dressing.
The sandwich is juicy, a bit messy and loaded with the distinct special dressing.
The sauce, like the Bush’s baked beans recipe, is a closely guarded secret that can only be told to employees. Stone wanted to let it out, but Mitchell said no.
“She’s dying to give it up,” he said.
Some of the sandwiches have special meaning to Mitchell.
Conway’s Catch is named after his son. Michelle’s Sand Wedge is named after his daughter. And the Sammy’s Fan Club — a club sandwich made with ham, turkey, bacon and cheese — is named for his wife Sandra. (Her nickname is Sammy.)
Mitchell said the Bull Pen sub is another favorite. Grilled turkey, ham, American cheese, lettuce and tomato topped with Italian dressing and, of course, Rocky’s special dressing make it a “club house favorite.”
Businesses at the location of the Leesville Sports Grill & Deli go back more than 40 years.
It opened as the Brookville Drug Store. Then, it became Nature Fresh Farms owned by former Campbell County Supervisor James Mays.
Later, it was turned into a restaurant called Jimmy’s Sports Grill & Deli.
In 2005, Mitchell purchased the restaurant and renamed it the Leesville Sports Grill & Deli. Mitchell credits Mays and Stone for keeping the regulars coming into his restaurant after it switched hands.
Mitchell grew up in Richmond, and owned a chicken and burger joint called The Rock. He said he always wanted to expand his restaurant into a sports bar, but the area become “depressed” and he went out of business. He later worked as a cafeteria cook at a Richmond hospital.
A few years passed, Mitchell moved to Lynchburg with his wife and he worked in the insurance business.
But then, he got “that itch.” He wanted to open another restaurant.
“Can’t sing. Can’t dance. I was an average athlete, but I can cook,” Mitchell said.
This time he opened the sports-themed restaurant.
The walls at the Leesville Sports Grill & Deli are decorated with memorabilia. There’s a photo of Roger Clemens, trophies topped with golfers and the bar is littered with baseball cards.
Around the restaurant are posters of football teams’ helmets. Mitchell said he doesn’t like just one team.
“I’m just a football fan,” Mitchell said.
He hoped others would share his passion for the game, but when he started showing football games last season, business didn’t follow.
Now, Mitchell is trying something new. He’s hosting karaoke nights, comedy nights and singer/songwriter nights.
He said there’s tons of talent in the area, and he’s offering his place as a venue to showcase that talent. And, while people are enjoying the entertainment, they can grab a sandwich or two.
Mitchell said he’s happy making sandwiches and running his own place.
“I guess I like being self-employed.”
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