BY JANE BLOODWORTH ROWE
PUNGO — Locals who grew up eating ham sandwiches at a favorite spot in rural Virginia Beach will be glad to learn it and a classic, simple style of eats are reborn in its former home.
Virginia Beach residents Jerry Moulton and Sulli Monterroza recently opened Brinkleys Market at Gum Bridge and Charity Neck roads at the same site as the former market. They’re featuring the kind of sandwiches on white bread that were made popular by original proprietor Elizabeth Brinkley, who, in the words of a 1995 profile in The Virginian-Pilot, was “the grande dame of sandwiches.”
The new Brinkleys also stocks sodas and snacks, and Moulton said they will carry other grocery items, including canned goods, various breads and paper products.
“It will be a deli and convenience store,” Moulton said.
The store opened on Sunday, June 12. For Moulton, it was the culmination of a dream he’s had since childhood. He frequently visited the market, and, like so many locals, was a huge fan of the ham sandwich.
“Mrs. Brinkley made a fantastic ham sandwich,” Moulton said. “I used to come in here as a kid and as a young adult and get them.”
That sandwich was a simple, all-American combination of Smithfield ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato and a dab of mayonnaise on white bread. Elizabeth Brinkley served sandwiches for about three decades from the 1960s to the 1990s, and they were a local favorite.
Moulton, who grew up on a farm on West Landing Road, worked as a building contractor here and in Florida, and he returned to this area in 2005 and went into semi-retirement.
“I’ll never really fully retire,” said Moulton, who also works at Pungo Blueberries, where he oversees the wholesale market.
Monterroza, who also works at a local grocery store, works at Brinkleys part-time.
She said she enjoys the atmosphere and the role the business has traditionally played in community life. Residents have told her how glad they are that Brinkleys Market has re-opened, she said.
“Everybody says it’s about time,” she said, “and everybody is very pleasant.”
Moulton always dreamed of owning a restaurant or deli and decided that it was time to fulfill that dream. He began moving into Brinkleys Market, which previously housed Southern Fried Studio & Shop.
“I’ve wanted to do this for 40 years,” Moulton said.
He’s worked since early March to get the building ready, and he said, so far, that’s been the most challenging part. He’s also adjusting to being indoors after spending most of his days outdoors, and later this month he’ll spend part of his time picking blueberries at Pungo Blueberries.
Moulton replicates Elizabeth Brinkley’s ham sandwiches, and he also serves a variety of breakfast items including ham, sausage or bacon biscuits. For lunch, he offers sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza slices and hot wings.
Fresh blueberries will also be available later this summer, and there’s a small line of antiques and home décor offered by Blue Barn Eclectic, a local business owned by Ann Goranson.
There are 12 flavors of hand-scooped ice cream, and, on one recent day, 4-year-old Maverick Kelleher, enjoyed a dish of mint-chocolate chip ice cream on the breezy front porch. Maverick’s mom, Kim Kelleher, pushed him and 8-month old Wells in a stroller from their nearby house so that Maverick could enjoy some ice cream.
“I came on opening day and got breakfast,” Kelleher said, “and the sandwiches were great. This is awesome.”
Moulton wants the store to become a gathering spot for people in the community and members of Charity United Methodist Church, located across the road.
“The theme here is nothing but fun,” he said, adding that many church attendees dropped in after services on opening day for lunch or ice cream.
On this recent day, locals stopped by for a chat, and the store’s parking lot included a hitching post so riders can hitch their horses while they enjoy lunch or ice cream.
Right now, Moulton has three employees, but he’s also hoping to hire a food services manager.
Brinkleys Market, 4100 Charity Neck Road, is open 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday-Sunday. Call (757) 755-5369 for information.
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