Downtown Sherburne

Back to Progress 2008 Listing

by: Tyler Murphy

A business community driven by a tightly-knit customer base contributes to the charm of downtown Sherburne. With a number of regular patrons eventually becoming familiar friends with businesses, several lasting local enterprises have helped to define Sherburne’s character.

Can you imagine the main strip in Sherburne without a Gilligan’s Island, Joe and Vinny’s Pizzeria or Sherburne Video? Each has been in the community for over 25 years.

“People they come, they’re not just our customers, but friends. You run a place like this for this long and you get to know just about everybody,” said Joe and Vinny’s Pizzeria owner, Vinny Magroe. Vinny and Joe are brothers who run three other restaurants located in Sidney, Cincinnatus and Hamilton.

The Sherburne pizzeria is open every day. “It’s something to do. Try and stay busy, we have a lot of great food,” said Vinny.

The business was “steady” in 2007, Vinny said.

Just down the street from the pizzeria is Gilligan’s Island restaurant. “Our family originally bought it in 1988 as an ice cream place and we kept the name,” said current owner Andy Lagoe. Andy runs the business with his brother, Mike.

The two brothers took over Gilligan’s Island in the early 90’s from their uncle.

“We really love this place. We make a lot of the food right here. We bake the rolls, make homemade chili and soup,” said Andy.

Andy said 2007 was a good year for the business. “It’s our customers. In the summer we do great but in the winter, they keep us open,” he said.

“The thing with running a restaurant is once it’s in your blood, it’s tough to get out. I guess I’m one of them,” Andy said.

The restaurant employs about 30 high school and college students part time. The owners said that they’re looking forward to their next Bike Night during the summer.

“Last year I think we had 30 bikes here, people just seem to love it,” said Andy.

At the opposite end of downtown, tucked behind the Sherburne Post Office and across from the Fire Department, is an expanded Sherburne Video. The business was forced to move to the new location in June due to space issues.

“It was my first job and I just fell in love with it. You get to know the customers and the town,” said owner Kerry Collins. Collins bought the store three years ago after working for the business since high school, over a decade ago.

She runs Sherburne Video with her partner, Heather Simmons. The two said business had diminished slightly because of the move.

“There is a lot of competition out there with pay-per-view, Netflix and cable, so we’ve had to expand our offers a little,” said Collins.

The store also sells refreshments and body jewelry.

“I love the business or else I would’ve given up on it years ago. We know a lot of the people that come in. One customer, a friend we met through working here, brings us dinner almost every week while we’re here,” said Kerry.

Kerry said she is looking forward to the weather warming up so work could continue on their building. New lighting will be going into the parking lot and a wrap-around handicap accessible porch was being built on both stories of the building.

Back to Progress 2008 Listing