Weather no real worry for local restaurant crew
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on February 26, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Steven Gambella slices bagels to fill a breakfast order at Five Star on Berkeley Boulevard Thursday morning. Gambella, owner of the restaurant, was one of few Goldsboro businesses that opened as scheduled despite snow and ice.
"Good morning, darling, how are you?" Steven Gambella says in his booming voice as he pulls open the drive-thru window.
He hands a warm breakfast sandwich out the window with a smile.
He is a morning person.
The Five Star Restaurant owner opened early this morning.
He has opened early every day this week, regardless of the ice or snow.
The wintry weather does not bother him.
"I'm from Brooklyn, New York, I never worry about the weather," he laughs.
He has continued to fry up eggs and slather his authentic bagels with cream cheese for the early morning crowd throughout the week.
He moved down to Goldsboro in 1984, but has not forgotten how to make a real bagel.
He credits the success of his business to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
"Yesterday was a good day," he says about Wednesday's larger crowd. The school cancellation helped drive a crowd into the restaurant as people picked up food for the morning.
Tuesday's 9:30 a.m. school cancellation made business slower, but overall, Gambella says it has been a good week.
Employee Davy Estrada is also oblivious to the snow storm.
He has been working there 11 years, and is used to Gambella's dismissal of the winter storm.
"We're open because we need the money," he laughs, teasing Gambella. They continue to joke and laugh throughout the morning.
In a booth, two pint-sized regulars ignore the men's antics.
Estrada's children, Guillermo and Natalia, have set up camp, filling a table with coloring books and video games.
Gambella says the children have been there eight of the last 10 days because of the snow.
"It's ridiculous, man," he says. "How are they going to make up these days?"
Guillermo and Natalia both attend Meadow Lane Elementary.
"It's not too bad," Guillermo, 10, says.
He is an artist. He creates different cartoons and drawings with his colored pencils.
Five-year-old Natalia is working on beating new levels of her video game.
They both laugh when they talk about the good food they get to eat by staying at the restaurant. That's the best part, Guillermo says.
He and his sister played in the snow early this week out behind the restaurant.
But Guillermo is ready to go back to school.
"Yeah, we got bored, last week especially," he said.