Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Mike Eggleston, Blacksburg resident and '73 VT alum, carries memorabilia from Beamer's Steakhouse in Christiansburg Tuesday. The restaurant has gone out of business the contents were sold at auction.

CHRISTIANSBURG -- The Tuesday morning auction at Beamer's Steakhouse opened with a scene that seemed better suited to a football field than the floor of a closed restaurant.

Facing a crowd of attentive onlookers, a man gripped a large, gold trophy in both hands, hoisting it high in front of him for all to see.

But at this venue, the people peering back at him weren't looking to cheer.

They were looking to bid.

Lured by deals on restaurant equipment and Virginia Tech memorabilia, about 160 auction attendees gathered in the 5,300-square-foot eatery to buy what remained of the recently closed Beamer's Steakhouse -- a restaurant owned by Roanoke restaurateurs Mark and Chris Henderson and Tech football coach Frank Beamer.

Of the midmorning buyers, some were there for the bar furniture and banquettes. A few might have had their eyes on the walk-in cooler or the double fryer.

Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Bobble heads of Frank Beamer and the Hokie bird were among the merchandise sold from Beamer's Steakhouse in Christiansburg Tuesday. Nora Woolwine of Blacksburg bought the dolls along with some plates and shirts.

Many, however, said they were drawn to the auction by the collection of sports memorabilia that once graced Beamer's walls.

"Anything that's Virginia Tech-related has become very collectable, and you know people pay a lot of money for it," said Martha Cassell, a Blacksburg resident who runs a booth at the Cambria Emporium in Christiansburg. "I really have a feeling some of these things will go so high I won't be able to afford it."

The trophy, a relic of the Hokies' trip to the FedEx Orange Bowl in December 1996, hit the auction block first.

"You can't buy this at Wal-Mart!" Linkous Auctioneers' Larry Linkous announced as bidders began raising their numbered tickets.

Sixty dollars ... $65 ... $70 ... $75 ... $80?

Hearing silence, Linkous closed bidding with a rolling "sssssold" at $75.

And so it went:

Seventy dollars for a helmet embellished with logos from both Tech and the University of Alabama.

One hundred and forty dollars for a basketball commemorating the 2004-05 season and signed by Tech basketball coach Seth Greenberg.

One hundred and ninety dollars for the large, "Beamer's" rug that once welcomed diners into the restaurant's front doors.

Christina O'Connor | The Roanoke Times

Larry Linkous of Linkous Auctioneers calls the auction of an autographed football held by auctioneer Marty Gordon (right).

By the time all of the dozens of pieces of memorabilia were sold at 11 a.m. (with nary a sign of Beamer himself), many auction attendees stood with piles of their prize pieces at their feet.

Perhaps no one, though, walked away with the cache collected by Mike Eggleston of Blacksburg.

At times standing on his tiptoes to get a look at the merchandise, Eggleston bid on about a dozen different pieces.

The high chair beside him held a maroon shirt with the Beamer's logo, a pair of Beamer's plates, a Seth Greenberg basketball, a plaque celebrating the 2004-05 ACC Championship football team and a signed football. A trio of framed prints leaned against the chair including: a black-and-white picture of a battered "VT" lunch pail; a large photo of former Hokie football player Jeff King in action; and a poster advertising the Sugar Bowl that read, "Recipe for success: one part sugar, one part Hokie, equals one, sweet Hokie pokie."

"I'm just a Hokie fan that's developing a Hokie room in my house," Eggleston said.

A 1973 Tech grad, Eggleston said the showcase poolroom over his garage has been a work in progress for three years. Already home to commemorative wall hangings and autographed balls, it's a tribute to the school Eggleston has supported since he arrived in Blacksburg as a student.

The price of that support Tuesday?

Eggleston guessed about $700 to $800.