Local Celebrity Profiles
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Barbara Gallimore | The Flying Pig Food & Spirits
[Perma Link]Barbara Gallimore | The Flying Pig Food & Spirits
Q: The Flying Pig has been a successful restaurant in Asheboro ever since it opened, which is a great accomplishment considering most restaurants never even make it two years. How did it start, and have you always been in the restaurant business?
No, actually my husband Dennis and I, and our partners Barry & Mary Ann have always been in the business world, but none of us were in the restaurant business. We had talked a lot over the years about starting a business together so ironically when we opened, we didn’t know if it would succeed. In fact, we kept our day jobs at first just in case it did fail. Luckily it did succeed, and even faster than we ever imagined. It was only about half the size when we first opened but we quickly got the space next door and we have been doing great ever since, and now it’s our so-called real jobs!
Q: How did you come up with the name since you aren’t exactly a barbecue restaurant?
Well, there’s a couple of answers to this one, but the City of Asheboro was actually "dry" until 2008, meaning you could not serve alcohol. There was a popular saying, "Alcohol will be legalized in Asheboro when pigs fly.” After the bill was actually passed we kind of thought we may have a better chance at success with a restaurant bar, but honestly, we knew if we served alcohol it could backfire, too. Luckily to our benefit, we decided to go with a restaurant and bar and it all worked out.
Q: What are some of the most popular food and drink items on your menu?
We’re famous for our pizzas so that’s always on the menu; and as far as appetizers we have what we call Pig Squealing Nachos, Pig Wings, and Angry Okra – which is actually fried jalapenos. We’re also really proud of our homemade cheesecakes and pies. When it’s someone’s birthday, we give them a pig hat to wear and give them a cupcake...kids of all ages love that. We also have 16 beers on tap and we sell a ton of local beers which people love to support, plus the full bar.
Q: One of the most memorable things about The Flying Pig is the fact there is so much to look at! There are pigs and sports jerseys and paraphernalia everywhere. How did you collect all of these unique items?
That’s the craziest thing ever. We had a few items when we opened, but we have to credit most of our incredible collection of jerseys, pigs, and even our taxidermy animals to our great customers. They bring them to us all of the time, and we have so much more than what you see now. During different holidays we showcase themed pigs in our front window. Our customers love to see the Christmas hats, Valentine’s Day and Saint Patrick’s Day outfits. It makes them feel part of the community and part of our establishment when they come in and see the hat or item they gave us to display.
Q: What do you love most about this area?
I absolutely love being in downtown Asheboro. They have done such an amazing job revitalizing this area. Just ten years ago this place was a virtual ghost town, and now it’s thriving. I love that the city has chosen to keep its old buildings and its sense of history. We refurbish our buildings; we don’t tear them down. I love the old wood floors and walls, they speak to you, unlike the new ones. I love that we have such a great community that supports downtown summer concerts, Oktoberfest, our Christmas parade, and local area food drives. It’s a really family-oriented community! It’s also great being right off of the highway because we’ve become a must-stop destination for travelers, too. Some of the same people from out of state come by year after year to eat and shop in our stores, and that is wonderful!
