As Billybob changes its flavor, a tradition dies

Many in the area lament that greasy-yet-satisfying Billybob is planning to go upscale. A 40th Street landmark, it was a coveted establishment which defied the town-gown boundary, where students and West Philadelphians alike waited and mingled in lines that twisted out the door and around the block, where the only identification needed to enter was an order greasier than the last. Now, as the 15-year-old Billybob gets set to transform into the upscale "Best Of International Cafe," many students fear that 40th Street will look a lot like Sansom Street, and that the development of a new food court will mean the end of a cherished Penn institution. According to owner Hideo Omori, the new self-service cafe will have stations featuring Silk Road Chinese food, Le Bus baked goods, a Torreo coffee station, a Genji Sushi Express and -- of course -- the Billybob cheesesteak, among other favorites. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. during the week and 24 hours a day on weekends. While the food court will continue to sell beer and liquor, some students feel the sit-down dining space and the classier atmosphere will rob the "Home of the Chicken Cheesesteak" of its priceless West Philadelphia charm. "It seems like Xando is taking over the world," complained College and Wharton junior Scott Greenberg. "They are trying to make [Billybob] trendy. But I enjoyed its culture.? It was a taste of West Philadelphia -- dirty but a part of Penn." "Going to Billybob's was an event," Wharton junior Keith Largay added. "You went there for the cheesesteak and the experience of standing in line since most of the people were drunk." And with few late-night dining options on campus, many students pointed out that Billybob provided a cheap, late-night fare when most other places were closed. They growled that since Billybob closed to be renovated, they have had to buy the requisite weekend "40" next door at Allegro's Pizza, where they were forced to pay a few bucks more. However, others seemed to think that the changes couldn't have come soon enough. "The food was terrible. It was the only place in a developed country where I got stomach disease," said second-year Economics doctoral candidate Rafael Barrera, who claimed that a Billybob sandwich made him sick last spring. "I went when everything else was closed -- not because I wanted to." And West Philadelphia resident Darlene Thomas added she was glad that the restaurant was changing its sleazy atmosphere, perhaps improving safety in an area that has long been criticized for attracting criminal activity and lewd behavior. "I didn't like the clientele," the 46-year resident said. "They had drugs, bums and derelicts over there." Still, as much as students and community members said they were disappointed that Billybob would no longer exist in its original essence, they also said they could look past their memories of a seedy late-night joint to find something positive in the changes. College senior Leanne Shear thought that the seating room and the variety of choices that the cafZ's international menu offers make it "a wonderful addition." And College senior Jonathan Austrian added that the upscale cafe "will attract people who were hesitant to go to Billybob -- especially late at night." In fact, Wharton junior Ed Divgi questioned whether there really was that much nostalgia in the cheesesteak shop after all. "People didn't go for the atmosphere," he said. "They went for to satisfy their munchies." And as College sophomore Matthew Oresman put it, "Even though there is no turnstile, as long as the new place sells cheesesteaks and beer, I am content."