| By Harriet Whipkey
Sometimes, when you least expect it, you meet the most interesting people. Such was the case for my daughter and I recently.
We were road weary and still a ways from home. As we neared Smithville, both declared a desperate need for a good cup of coffee. Soon we were approaching the intersection where we'd make a left and head for Glenville. Directly across from us, we noticed new banners strung in front of a building stating "Road Dog Tavern Now Open," but we hesitated. After all, it was Sunday. Then we saw a woman sitting on a bench in front, and my daughter whipped her Tracker into the parking lot and called out, "You got any coffee in there?"
"I sure do," the small strawberry blond answered. We followed her into the building
I was immediately struck by two things: the cleanliness and the spaciousness of the interior, in spite of the fact that there were four pool tables, six booths, assorted tables, and a large area for a live band and dance floor. We settled ourselves at the bar and the lady poured us steaming cups of coffee. Ahhhhh.
I introduced myself, "I'm Harriet Whipkey from Gilmer County."
"Teresa Barker," she told us, and began to share some of her background and reasons for buying into a business that certainly has its ups and downs. "We've put our hearts into this place," Teresa said. She had most recently been the bartender at VFW Post 9159 in Salem. Her partner in the enterprise, Gary Bland, is a contractor in that area. Both are native West Virginians.
Teresa Barker, Co-Owner of the Road Dog Tavern
They took a leap of faith in deciding to lease the tavern, but Teresa is full of optimism. "We have big plans for the place," she said. "We hope to add food to our services and have live music." I looked at the area designated for a band and dance floor, easily 16 by 30 feet. Surrounding the area was a narrow bar with stools pulled up to it, making it easy to listen to the music and watch the dancers. "We also plan to hold pool tournaments, and within thirty days, to have lottery machines installed."
They named the establishment "Road Dog," in honor of their dog, Neo. "He used to go everywhere with us," Teresa said, "but he's getting old, and his arthritis is really bad and it's too painful for him to travel any more."
The tavern opened for business on July 28th. "We're going to run a clean establishment here. No drugs, no brawling. You start it once and you're out of here," Teresa declared, with a determined tilt to her chin. "Verbal and physical harassment will not be tolerated. We want couples to feel comfortable."
The tavern is located at the junction of Rts. 47 and 16S at Smithville, putting it about 39 miles east of Parkersburg and about 25 west of Glenville. It opens at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
Popular musicians Mike Morningstar and Rick Roberts will be providing live music on Friday, September 29th. Teresa says, "Welcome! Just bring your best manners and plan to enjoy yourselves."
By the way, the coffee was delicious.
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