Gus’s Good Times Deli has been a part of the University of Tennessee community since it opened in 1981. It is located on Melrose Avenue near the Strip and has survived the recent remodel of the Strip and the closings and reopenings of many different restaurants in the same area over the past 42 years.
Because Gus’s has been around for so long, it has become a favorite of students over multiple generations. It has become an institution that is shared between parents and children — something passed along from Volunteer to Volunteer.
John Hatfield, a 1994 graduate of UT who studied agricultural economics, said Gus’s was one of the first stops on his unofficial tour of campus with his daughter during COVID-19. He has incredibly fond memories of Gus’s, with his favorite being his first.
“It was my second night on campus. My roommate and I had scored some beers from an older friend and had the late night munchies. We sauntered down to Gus’s, and it was a life changing event. The best thing about Gus’s is that not much has changed – it’s an institution with great people and great food,” Hatfield said.
His daughter, Anne Stewart, is a junior at UT studying supply chain management. Originally, she blew off Gus’s during her unofficial tour of campus, writing the restaurant off as just some place that her father loved. Since living in Massey Hall her freshman year, Stewart grew to appreciate Gus’s just like her father.
“What started as a place my father was super passionate about became somewhere reliable, where I knew I could always get good food and service,” Stewart said.
Gus’s is especially popular on game days when there are Vols from the past, present and future roaming campus. It’s times like these that people hold dear to their hearts – there’s nothing like a win in Neyland Stadium followed by a sandwich from Gus’s. It is the true Volunteer experience.
Brad Hailey, who graduated from UT in 1988 with a degree in finance, says his favorite memories at Gus’s are the ones spent eating with his daughter following a football win.
“Olivia and I can share a non-academic college experience that has spanned 40 years of existence. Gus’s is the only restaurant that still exists from my time at UT. My best memories of Gus’s are with Olivia when we’ve gone there after football victories,” Hailey said.
Though the good food and service that Gus’s provides is certainly a major part of its longevity on campus, the restaurant feels like a special place to many students because it’s something that is shared with those around them.
Olivia Hailey, Brad Hailey’s daughter, who is a senior studying public relations, feels like Gus’s is a huge part of her relationship with her father.
“My dad has taken me to Gus’s for years now, and it feels like it’s our place. Whenever he’s on campus and we both have time, we’re absolutely going to Gus’s. My dad is my best friend and role model, so being able to go to this restaurant with him, that means so much to him, is a really special feeling,” Olivia said.
The decorations on Gus’s walls highlight the past and their love for their community – there are newspaper clippings, artwork, and photographs that show pride in UT and the role that the restaurant has played in enriching the UT community. Gus’s loves the Volunteers and will hopefully stick around for another 40 years so the current UT students can buy a sandwich and share the love with the next generation.
