Great Spread The Lipes Burger and Mediterranean Salad are great examples of FITA's diverse palate (and calorie) pleasing options. versation that-13 years ago-was anything but funny. It took a year to renovate the carriage house. When it was ready, no one rented it. People couldn't envision the place the way Dave could. After months of sitting vacant, it became clear to the Trinkles they would become more than landlords. They would become restaurant owners. "We were lucky," says Dave when describing their efforts to get Fork in the Alley off the ground. "We hired [Sam Eakin] who had owned a successful restaurant in the Market Building, and could see the cozy commu- nity pub vision I had for the carriage house." Though Eakin had left the restaurant world to become a farmer, he told the Trinkles he'd give them six months. He stayed two and a half years. Eakin helped the Trinkles establish their personal restaurant ownership approach: hands off. "We know enough about restaurants to be dangerous," jokes Ann. Dave laughs and adds specifics to Ann's truth-telling. "We know enough to make the big decisions, but not day to day. The key for us is to hire the right managers. Then they do all the hiring and firing." NOAH MAGNIFICO DOWNTOWN ROANOKE 127 Campbell Ave. 540-400-7053 HOLLINS/NORTH ROANOKE 7212 Williamson Rd. 540-904-5825 SALEM 1304 W Main St, Salem, VA 24153 540-387-1420 ing Awar Din 2017 d s OF ALEJANDROSMEXICANGRILL.COM 108 | JULY/AUGUST 2017 Gold THEROANOKER.COMhttp://allsportscafe.net http://www.ALEJANDROSMEXICANGRILL.COM http://www.THEROANOKER.COM