Juicy wieners at G and H

Photo by Stephanie Miller

Employees serve up 400-500 wieners a day at Good and Hearty, Harrisonburg's own bulk food store.

Hot dog, tube steak, wiener; call it what you want, Good and Hearty, Harrisonburg's local bulk foods store, is the king of the compressed composite of the leftover pig.

Located just miles out of town on Route 33 West, Good and Hearty (G&H) fills stomachs of EMU students for mere pocket change.

Though recognized for the quality and price of their bulk foods, lunchtime at G&H is a different story. Located to the rear of the store, past the shelves full of candy, pie filling, and breads, is G&H's pseudo restaurant quarters. Daily, it attracts a wide variety of locals and students who flock during their lunch hour seeking the low-priced, high satisfaction food.

The most popular choice is the 50 cent hot dog and drink combo deal. High quality Weaver's beef franks are served straight off the grill, with an optional 19 cent upgrade of chili available. The exceptional quality of the meat is matched by the buns, which are kept warm and tender in a hot steamer.

If one juicy wiener will not satisfy, two more quarters will double the drink size and add another dog. This deal is so popular that, according to employee Pam Heatwole, nearly 400-500 hot dogs are sold daily.

If the small size and unique flavor of a regular hot dog is not appealing, G&H also offers a thick sausage. With more flavor, texture, and girth than a frank, and served in the same steam warmed bun, the sausage is a recommended upgrade for those who are willing to spend a few more quarters. Add a drink and some home-style soup and the total price of this meal combo is just under seven quarters.

If the tubular meat offerings are not your style, G&H offers standard deli sandwiches and cholesterol-building fries at reasonable prices. Several varieties of homemade soup are also available, which vary daily, but generally include vegetable, chili, and potato.

The best way to finish off a meal at G&H is with their 60 cent soft serve ice cream. Available in a cup or cone, chocolate, vanilla, or swirl, the ice cream is a hard-to-beat deal. Though not as high-quality as local favorite Klines, the ice cream certainly lives up to any expectations.

Open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, G&H is the perfect place to fill up on the pocket change under the cushins of your couch.