When the sun sets and the city’s glow overpowers the sky, every young person begins to itch with anxiety — ready to hit up the nightlife. Overcome with choices of where to go, they pay a costly penny just to be part of the hippest, newest scene.
Yet the excitement dwindles within an hour and they find themselves in a facade of fun. One forgets that bigger isn’t always better. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and lose sight of what it’s all about: keeping it real and having fun.
Ruckus Pizza is a local business that boasts food, drink and no cover charge. Just seconds from campus, it is a place built around Wolfpack heritage and pride. Even different faces of the Pack make up Ruckus workers and customers.
Mike Tatum, an alumnus of 2003, spends time at Ruckus even after graduating.
“I’ve been coming since it’s been here. It’s just one of those places,” he said.
Ruckus strays from the ordinary. Tucked away in Mission Valley Shopping Center, it offers easiness to the mood coupled with the opportunity to have a good time.
Dan Pactti, a senior in communication, works at Ruckus as a bartender and takes pride in his job.
“The people that come here make the place cool,” Pactti said. “It’s not like downtown; you can chill with the customers and talk a little. It’s warm and cozy, but crazy at the same time.”
For Annie Currie, a senior in civil engineering, bartending at Ruckus just feels right.
“It’s fun,” Currie said. “We get a lot of regulars. Ninety percent of the people I wait on, I know their names and drinks,” she said. Ruckus’ bar is simple and to the point. It has the basic draft beers on tap, a nice sized liquor shelf, along with a few exotic, imported beers.
For Jimmy Johnson, a sophomore in business management, coming to Ruckus means good service and good times.
“I’ll come in here on a Monday night and it will be packed, but the bartender will still take care of you,” Johnson said.
The personable employees set the atmosphere for a laid back time with no fuss. At the root of Ruckus is one of N.C. State’s own alumni.
The unique customer service stems from a down-home attitude employed by manager, co-owner and alumnus Ryan Pilz.
“I’ve got State in my blood,” Pilz said. “My dad played football with Chuck [Amato].”
Pilz began working at Ruckus after college.
“I started out as the manager and then over time I bought out some of my partners,” Pilz said.
He runs Ruckus with a smile and exuberance. Pilz has transformed the menu over the years and added some of his own personal flavor. He created a signature sauce whose ingredients are strictly off the record.
“I put the five sauces I like the best in a bucket and created Ruckus sauce,” Pilz said.
His goal is to serve quality food and provide excellent service while remaining dedicated to backing the Pack.
“We do our best to support State. We sponsor the men’s and women’s ultimate Frisbee and rugby teams,” Pilz said.
While Ruckus is helping N.C. State, nearby Centennial Campus supports Ruckus.
“Centennial has really helped us, we have a huge lunch business because of [it],” Pilz said.
The steady business during the day carries over into the night hours. At night students and patrons come to Ruckus for food and entertainment.
When the sun sets, the only business Ruckus conducts is having a good time.
Brian Willis, a frequent customer of Ruckus put it very clearly, “When it comes to dirty trivia, open mic night and live bands, nobody beats Ruckus.”
Below the three guitars dangling from the ceiling, handwritten on a piece of poster board, Ruckus’s music policy blatantly reads, “Your Brother’s Band Sucks.”
The chances of getting your personal choice of music played are slim, but the music gurus at Ruckus do make an exception. On Tuesday nights it will give any musician a fair shot on stage. Its open mic night is down tempo and very inviting, at the same time.
Erich Cain, a senior in microbiology, enjoys performing on Ruckus’s open mic night.
“I’ve been playing guitar up here since summer of 2005,” Cain said. “I can come up here and blow off some steam from during the week.”
Cain finds Ruckus a comfortable place to perform and visit. Cain invites all his friends, knowing that no matter who is performing there is a good time to be had.
“It’s like the neighborhood bar,” Cain said. “You can go, hang out, have a good time and feel welcomed.”
Mid-week Ruckus provides a stage for a variety of good times but the weekends are of a different caliber.
When Friday and Saturday nights roll around, Ruckus rolls up its sleeves. It showcases many local bands and music groups. The pizza joint will keep the drinks flowing from the bar and pack a full house.
Jessica Grim, a sophomore in business management, finds herself returning to Ruckus for the entertainment.
“I like that they have bands,” Grim said. “It’s a cool environment.”
When Ruckus opens its doors to showcase local talent, the place comes alive with an intense energy that will steal the night and provide crazy times.
Alex Thompson, a senior in business management, has performed at Ruckus as part of the musical group Inflowential.
“When we play there it gets packed, the tables have to come up — which always gives us a sense of pride,” he said.
Ruckus hosts a variety of music from hip-hop groups, rock bands and even local deejays from radio station WKNC. Thompson goes to Ruckus to see others perform and soak up periods of craziness that always seem happen.
“You don’t go there for a fancy dinner, you go there for the fun,” Thompson said. “When DJ 919 and DJ Ill Digitz of WKNC 88.1 spun records, there were at least 10 girls dancing on the bar simultaneously — craziness.”
It may not have a huge stage with spot lights, but it does provide a small setting for local musicians to form a stomping ground. It is an essential location to the local music scene.
This February Ruckus will be celebrating its sixth birthday.
“We’ll be rolling back the prices to what they were in ’99,” Pilz said.
With whatever changes are experienced, one thing will stay the same, as Pilz made it clear, “We’re going to stay home grown.”
