Tucked just off of Main Street, Bob’s Subs stands as one of Slippery Rock’s most enduring landmarks. For decades, it has been far more than a quick stop for a sandwich. It is a community hub, a student favorite, and a place woven tightly into the history of the town.
According to owner Joe Wigton, Bob’s has been serving the community “since around the early 1970s,” leaving a legacy that stretches across generations of Slippery Rock students and residents. The shop’s history begins with its original owner, Bob Woolston, who purchased what was once a salmon shop and transformed it into the sub shop students recognize today.
His goal was to establish several locations along the I79 corridor, including shops in Erie, Edinboro, Clarion, and Slippery Rock. Of all these locations, Slippery Rock thrived the most. Over time, Woolston sold the others, keeping only the bustling shop in this small mountain town. He eventually sold the store in 1990 to the Wigton family, who still own it today.
For the Wigton family, the story of Bob’s Subs is closely tied to their earlier business, Marlo’s at Moore’s Corner. After selling that store and moving into town, Joe’s aunt and grandmother began working at Bob’s. They brought with them not only years of experience but many loyal customers who used to gather at Marlo’s deli counter.
The old store had been a place to sit, chat, and catch up on life, and that same sense of community followed them to their new home on Main Street.
“That’s what the shop was always like to start with. The community would come to catch up on events, sit around, talk to people; it was more like a social place,” Wigton described.
Wigton himself joined the business in 1998. Though he completed several degrees at Slippery Rock University, he continued returning to the shop to help his family.
“I just always decided, well, you know what, I’ll just stick around and help, and then I’ll just take it over eventually. I took it over in 2019,” Wigton said.
Today, he oversees both the legacy and the daily operations that have kept Bob’s thriving in a changing college town.
### Building Connection Through Sandwiches
When asked what SRU students should know about Bob’s, Wigton described the shop’s evolution across decades.
“It’s different. We have been open a while, so it’s different every decade,” he said.
As student preferences shift, the shop continues trying new ways to reach campus, from traditional advertising to partnering with DoorDash.
“Usually we try to advertise at the dorms and the apartments, but sometimes people do not even know we are here, and I am never sure exactly what it is we need to do to reach out to students. That becomes difficult. We try. We are doing DoorDash now, and that seems to help a lot.”
Students are essential to the shop’s rhythm. Wigton estimates that “at least 50 percent of importance” comes from college customers. Without the university, business would not have the same steadiness.
Historically, the connection was even stronger.
“Early on, there were not a lot of choices at night,” Wigton said. Bob’s became the go-to late-night stop for hungry students returning from parties or meeting up with friends.
“There was not Sheetz at night, there was not anywhere else,” he added.
Many alumni still return during homecoming, bringing families and old stories through the door. Although the late-night atmosphere has changed over time, Bob’s remains a dependable gathering place.
The shop’s layout, with its wide-open seating area and relaxed approach to students studying or hanging out, keeps the legacy of the community alive.
“It is kind of like a nice central building in the town where people have a gathering place, whether they want to eat or whether they want to do social events,” Wigton explained.
The shop even allows outside food and drinks during quiet hours, emphasizing comfort over strict policies.
Wigton’s support for the community goes beyond his storefront. He regularly donates food to local schools, sports teams, and large public events, often sending “100 sandwiches” to groups that need them.
“Pretty much anything for the public or anything that is beneficial to the community,” Wigton said. “I try to support the community as a whole.”
### A Focus on Quality Above All
If there is one idea Wigton wishes to communicate about Bob’s, it is found in his two-word description of the shop: “Quality sandwiches.”
While rising supply costs have made pricing more challenging, he continues to prioritize strong ingredients.
“What I go for is to get the best possible ingredients that I am able to get and make sure that when someone gets something, it is good.”
To Wigton, sandwiches are more than food—they are a way to improve someone’s day.
“Food, it can change a person’s whole day,” he said. “A great sandwich can make someone’s day feel more bearable.”
That sense of impact is what motivates him each morning. His dedication extends to operations as well.
“See, whenever I worked when I was younger, I tried to compete with McDonald’s as far as delivery time.” Wigton still pushes his staff to match that level of speed, knowing students often come in during quick breaks between classes.
Even in the summer, business keeps bustling, contrary to what many might expect.
“For a lot of people, that is a really big change, but for us, it is the events and other activities. So we are actually busier in the summer than we are during the school year.”
### Adapting to a Changing Town
As Slippery Rock has grown, Bob’s has adapted alongside it. New dining options, busy student schedules, and shifting nightlife have changed the landscape.
Wigton continues exploring ways to stay connected to campus.
“We are trying to find ways to reach more of the students and become more interactive with the campus. It is just hard to do that,” he said.
His business philosophy centers on people, not spreadsheets.
“Business is about understanding people and culture. Studying cultural theory here actually is more useful to business than studying economics. That is what has helped me over time, just understanding how to reach people,” Wigton said.
To him, the human element outweighs the numbers.
“What I go with mainly is what appeals to people, not hard numbers,” he said.
Through all the changes, one truth remains: Bob’s Subs continues to be a place where students grab a sandwich between classes, where alumni return for nostalgia, and where locals gather to talk about town happenings.
It is a place shaped by community, carried by tradition, and rooted in the passion of a family that has kept it alive for decades.
After more than fifty years, the legacy of Bob’s is still unfolding, one “quality sandwich” at a time.
—
**Bob’s Subs** welcomes customers from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday through Tuesday, and is closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Visit anytime they are open to enjoy the friendly, hometown atmosphere that has made this spot a beloved Slippery Rock tradition.
https://www.theonlinerocket.com/news/2025/12/03/bobs-subs-a-slippery-rock-tradition-serving-quality-sandwiches-for-over-50-years/
