Hoagies & Hops Annual Hoagie Eating Contest!

Nigel (0:06)

We're going to be listening to the Hammer and Nigel Show. Yes, hello, my name is Nigel. Jason Hammer right over there is a very special in-studio guest.

Jason Hammer (0:14)

One of the perks of having the keys to this afternoon drive show, number one rated, by the way, is that we've been able to develop friendships over the years, and we've been able to highlight people doing amazing things in the community.

And our friend Christina from Hoagies & Hops falls into all of those categories.

My goodness, Christina, how the heck are you?

Christina (0:37)

I'm doing wonderful. Thank you. Appreciate you reaching out and having me on the talk about this great event we got coming up.

Nigel (0:43)

Is it that time again?

Christina (0:44)

I know. Time just flies. And I start working on it like probably two months, at least two months in advance, contacting all of my sponsors, putting it out there to get ready, start thinking if you want to go ahead and take down that 18-inch hoagie.

Jason Hammer (0:58)

And we're talking about the eating contest, the hoagie eating contest taking place this Saturday at Hoagies & Hops. Christina is the owner, proprietor of Hoagies & Hops. For those who may be listening to us for the very first time, we always have new listeners.

Give us your backstory and how you started this.

Christina (1:18)

Yeah, so I grew up outside of Philadelphia area, Pottstown, PA, Southeastern, and I moved out here in 2007 That's Philly country. Philly country, for sure. And PA, Dutch country, too, to name. And I missed the Italian hoagie, but I moved out here because my parents moved here for work. I went to Penn State for a hotel restaurant, ran a couple of restaurants out here for a little bit. My husband was also with me from PA and decided to open up my shop in 2015 My rolls shipped in from South Jersey. My cold cuts shipped in from Pennsylvania, whether it's PA, Dutch country, like I mentioned, or Philly pretzels shipped in, chips shipped in, you name it. I mean, I am through and through Pennsylvania.

Jason Hammer (1:53)

And if you need a place to watch an Eagles game from time to time.

Christina (1:57)

You know it. We are the place. We are actually for I've always said we're the official place. But for the past two years, the link Lincoln Financial Field out in Philly has actually named us and has listed us as the official Eagles landing spot in the state of Indiana. So come on out and watch an Eagles game with the Indy Burr gang here.

Jason Hammer (2:15)

Oh, we need to get our guy Carson Steele over to your place. He's on the Eagles practice squad, the center growth kid.

Christina (2:21)

Yeah, we were going back and forth because I, you know, I always like to do different specials for different, you know, team members, players, coaches. And I contacted him about doing something with a bra. And I was going to have a local bra company, old major do that. So that's still going to be happening at some point. I mean, hopefully he moves out of that. Oh, they're great. I hope he kind of moves out of that practice squad because that would be amazing.

Jason Hammer (2:43)

All right. So the other aspect of you owning Hoagies & Hops, which, congratulations, it's been 11 years of you being in business.

11 years. And look, it hasn't been an easy 11 years. You've had to deal with COVID. You've had to deal with high, extremely ridiculous prices. But you've been able to make it through.

Christina (3:02)

I have. And considering a lot of my products, which I try to stress to a lot of people and customers when they say, Oh, my God, for your cheese stick, it's that much. I'm like, well, you got to think I'm getting everything shipped in. This is not something I'm getting next to making the bread yourself.

Nigel (3:16)

You're getting authentic Philly bread and everything is shipped in every day.

Christina (3:20)

And cold cuts and everything and it's quality. You know, I'm not cutting loose. You know, this is straight up great stuff.

Jason Hammer (3:25)

Dude, you get what you pay for and it's so good. Trust me, I've been a customer of Hoagies & Hops.

Christina (3:30)

You pay a dollar more than you get from a chain.

That's not spending that much more. But anyway, but yeah, I mean, it's all about the community. And, you know, when I first opened my shop inside Flat 12, I did a lot with the John Bonner Center, did a lot with KIV and all that downtown. You know, now that I'm at 42nd Boulevard with Chilliwater Ruin Company. Yeah, so Chilliwater is our tap room. That's my hops to my Hoagies. And we've had so much, you know, we've done a lot with HVAF, which is what this Hoagie Contest is about. For the past 10 years, I have been donating our proceeds and the registration fee for this Hoagie Contest to HVAF. So that's helping.