Most stores put some thought into the type of music they want playing while customers are within their space. Hip, trendy stores tend to play hip, trendy music to stay true to the theme of the store. Typically, this isn’t something I notice when I’m out and about. However, when the music changes drastically, it can be quite jarring.
Many of my classmates and I have recently discovered the joys of Buttz Barbecue here in Charlottesville on the Corner. Growing up in North Carolina, I began to associate good barbecue with our most rural and rundown towns. Buttz pays a wonderful homage to such places. Sandwiched between colorful, Key West like, buildings and across from the massive Biltmore restaurant, Buttz sticks out immediately as a dark wooden, rustic-looking establishment that seems out of place. The establishment has creaky wooden floors and a hanging sign out front. The whole place seems cut right out of Frontierland from Disneyworld’s Magic Kingdom. The biggest difference is that instead of being absolutely packed, Buttz is almost always empty when we go. The first time we went I noticed the soundtrack immediately. We were greeted with twangy, instrumental only, banjo music. This all helped to combine to create an experience that really made me believe that the food was going to be to my liking, and the food delivered. However, about half-way through our meal, the management (manager?) switched to some obscure boy band, completely breaking the illusion. While it didn’t necessarily make the food taste differently, it sullied what was otherwise a perfect barbecue experience.
