BY Sara Lucas
Christi Eyerman starts her day early. She’s out of the house by 7:30 a.m. and off to school where she puts in a full day chasing children -- trying to make them pay attention. She leaves school and goes to Zane Trace Inn, where she checks on her guests, and then she goes to the farm. Once she’s there she puts in a few hours fighting the red tape and mounds of paperwork that go along with owning a small business. She cooks dinner and checks on her guests again. On a typical day Christi will work for 14 to 16 hours.
When the Eyerman’s decided to open Zane Trace Inn, they knew that they were in for a lot of hard work and that they would need to support each other 100 percent to survive. When they opened Craft Farm on Oct. 5, 2008, they were prepared to work even harder and to support each other even more.
For Christi and Ken owning a family farm and bed and breakfast that can support itself has always been a dream. After mulling over the idea to open a scrapbooking retreat in downtown Somerset, they presented the idea to their sons. “This is going to change our life, hopefully for the better. Are you in on this? It’s a family decision.” Christi explained to her two boys Cody and Travis who are now 17 and 19, respectively. “It won’t be a typical family environment…we want you to be a part of it.” If the venture was going to work, they had to work together.
The Inn was and continues to be a great success. While it had always been part of their business plan to expand after three to five years, the Eyerman’s realized they would have to do it sooner rather than later. The Inn was booked every weekend, and they desperately looked for ways to accommodate guests. No property seemed to fit their needs. Ken suggested a radical option: open their own home to guests. It seemed to be the quickest, easiest and most cost effective use of their time, money and energy. “Here we go again. What do you think about this?” Christi asked her sons after they came up with a detailed list of pros and cons.
Their home, which they built in 1997 on 32 acres just outside of Somerset, went through a huge transformation. Ken and Christi built an apartment for themselves on the lower level, and the boys moved in their own apartment, which was built in the barn. Their home became a retreat capable of housing 10 guests and all their crafting endeavors.
While Christi seems like the face of the Inn and Craft Farm, the guys are active participants too. Cody and Travis help out with the heavy lifting, which includes helping patrons carry luggage. Travis drew a cartoon figure of the average guest at the Inn, the “Zaney Girl”,complete with pajamas and scissors, who decorates everything from t-shirts to travel mugs. Ken is the official pizza master because guests often request his special, homemade pizza.
So far, the Craft Farm has proven to be another great success. It adds another dimension of chaos to their already busy lives, but as a family they handle it. “We are a small town business, and small town people, and we’ve got to help each other…I think that’s what helps us be successful,” Christi says.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Bun’s Party Barn
Along
Buns Party Barn, originally a carry-out opened in September 2005 by David Averion, now includes a deli, a specialty wine shop, a bakery, and an enclosed patio for customers to meet, socialize and dine.
With a “great view of the river,” says Averion, Bun’s Party Barn is great place to enjoy the
So, how did the name Bun’s Party Barn come to be?
Averion says, he and his wife came up with a list of 50 names, and one night an idea came to him. It was his wife’s nickname, Bun-Bun, given to her by her father when she was younger. Averion woke up that night and immediately wrote down, Bun’s Party Barn, and it stuck.
As for the horse barn architecture, well that was intentional. The couple looked through the plans and worked with contractors to find a style that fit their business’ name.
Bun’s Party Barn offers many specials, such as Thursday Night Wing Night, which includes their locally recognized house sauces: Honey, Hickory, Hot, Hotter than Hot, and last but not least Burn the Barn Down Hot that Averion says can only be handled by a few, brave people.
“We had a guy come in yesterday and tried our Burn the Barn Down Hot wings and he left here crying,” says Averion.
In addition to hot wings, the business has daily specials. The Italian Sub is the number one seller, with the pulled pork sandwich a close second. Other favorite dishes include the Antipasta Salad and bakery sweets. Averion recommends you order ahead of time, and to help you with your decision the menu can be viewed on their Web site, www.bunspartybarn.com.
The community atmosphere around the shop comes to life when the weather warms. Starting in April, every Thursday evening Bun’s Party Barn holds corn hole tournaments and people from all over the area come to play. Every second Saturday of the month, a bigger corn hole tournament is held. People form teams for $20, and all the money goes to the first, second and third place contestants.
Brighter Day Restaurant & Natural Foods Market
Historic Marietta’s streets are lined with fast food pit stops. Fine dining eateries and pubs are peppered in between. One spot unique among its neighbors is Brighter Day Restaurant & Natural Foods Store. This, the region’s only natural foods market and restaurant brings granola munchers and meat lovers together in a new and unexpected way.
Located in a small brick building, a shared space with a tiny bowling alley, Brighter Day is modest from the exterior. Upon entering, the warm orange walls and dark wooden features envelope you. Aromas of herbs, sizzling meat and various spices intermingle in the air. You are quickly overwhelmed by the extensive menu featuring items like Portabello wraps, Marsala pasta, baby back ribs and hummus. “Dinner is very relaxed. We lower the lights and have white table cloths,” owner Don Murray says.
Because of the diverse menu, some patrons might be surprised to learn that the restaurant uses all natural ingredients. When available, Don uses organic ingredients too, and vegan items also grace the menu.
The first sign of Brighter Day’s bountiful portions is that after ordering a table receives a basket of warm, over-sized rolls.
To compliment your meal the drink menu boasts organic and imported beers, wines, and fresh made sidecars.
Boasting the region’s most extensive vegetarian menu, Brighter Day cooks with all natural ingredients and uses fresh herbs and spices. The kitchen even makes every meal from scratch. “We do a little bit of everything,” Don says. To find such a comparable healthy haven one would have to travel as far as Athens or Columbus.
Often, the words organic, vegetarian and vegan bring up images of tofu and bean sprouts, but Brighter Day will shatter these images. A billboard advertising the cozy restaurant displays a rack-of-ribs and mashed potatoes.
Brighter Day is striving to break the stereotypes people hold about the natural foods trend. Don is confident that every curious customer will leave having found something to his or her taste. Brighter Day allows vegetarians and carnivorous-cravers to share a table, bonded by a menu they can both embrace.
If the food fails to create the right atmosphere, allow live music to do the job. Two-to-three Fridays of every month Brighter Day employs a live band. Bulgarian guitarist Dimitar Zarev takes the corner stage the first Friday of each month. His place is taken by other acoustic acts on the alternating weekends.
Soft strumming and thoughtful lyrics fill the restaurant, while still allowing conversation among tables.
During the day, Brighter Day joins the business bustle and flips itself into a deli. Hurried workers order at the counter and take a fresh deli sandwich or salad back to the office, drawing the inquisitive eye of the fast food addict in the next cubicle.
Have a little more time to linger during the day? Wander over into the market side of Brighter Day. Spices, vitamins, soup, pancake mix, and various grocery items line the metal shelves. You can find almost anything that you set your organic mind to.
Brighter Day strives to make every visit an experience. The warm and neighborly vibe in the space lays the groundwork. As the extensive menu, unlike any other in the town, greets patrons, they realize that dinner is sure to top last nights frozen food. Live music then fills in any gaps in conversation. Leave with leftovers or groceries and return for another fresh take on natural.
Austyn’s: A Multicultural Dining Experience
In the heart of historic downtown Ironton, Austyn’s Restaurant & Lounge combines Asian, Italian and New American flavors to create a multicultural dining experience.
Chef Matthew Hall combines a variety of upscale flavors like Parmesan-crusted Mahi-mahi with a creamy, white wine garlic sauce and bourbon beef tenderloins. Surf and turf, sandwiches, pasta, salads, and pizza are all included on the eclectic menu. For lunch, you can feast on Beer Battered Tilapia or Pizza Bianca, which combines creamy Alfredo sauce topped with red peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella and prosciutto.
While the menu may be attractive, the location is also a point of interest. Located in Ironton’s old train depot, passing trains are still visible through the windows. Austyn’s is in one of the oldest and most historic buildings in town. The extensive renovation took some time but ultimately transformed the interior without taking away the nostalgic feel of an old depot.
“You kind of feel like you’ve stepped through the past when you walk in,” manager Cynthia Jacobson says.
A year and a half ago, owner Phi Chen moved Austyn’s from Marietta to the Ironton location. The new restaurant includes a banquet room that accommodates up to 120 guests and two private dining rooms.
Whether you need a table for two or 20, the dining experience can be tailored to your needs.
“One of the misconceptions is that [our customers] have to order exclusively from our menu, but we can prepare according to their request for banquet parties,” Jacobson says.
Most of the restaurants regulars are local business owners and town leaders, she says.
That doesn’t mean only the suit and tie crowd are welcome.
“You will be greeted with smiling faces,” Jacobson says. “You can be as formal or as relaxed as you desire.”
Austyn’s menu includes an updated children’s menu with a new cheeseburger plate. Live entertainment will start performing soon as well. Reservations are recommended, especially for special holidays.
Like the atmosphere, the dress code is flexible, so you’ll get anything but a stuffy vibe from the staff. And the sweetest thing‑ besides dessert? The prices! Lunch starts at $5.95 and the most expensive dish is $23 - a reasonable price for a classy meal.
Despite appearing rather fancy, the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable.
The Athens Foundation: A Novel Approach to Supporting Communities
BY PY Tsikata
The Athens Foundation is a nonprofit community foundation created in 1980 by eight Athens women with great vision.
What started with fifty dollars from each of the women, has blossomed, like an acorn seed with a modest beginning, into an impressive financial portfolio currently estimated at 3 million dollars.
True to its mission, The Athens Foundation has supported myriad of charities, religious organizations and other community based groups in its efforts to improve the quality of life for the Athens community and its trajectory. Since its inception, it has disbursed over one million dollars of grant money to 140 local charities.
It recently brought together the leaders of nonprofit organizations to discuss ideas about how to assist their communities in keep their heads above “the economic downturn”. It also organizes leadership classes with the aim of helping groom community leaders who will provide leadership on community issues. Its access to Health Care for senior citizens initiative launched in 2007 is a spectacular way it connects with its senior citizens. All these services and others in support of education and other welfare services underscore its relevance to the community in these harsh economic times.
Community based charities and organizations which are finding it difficult to fund projects they consider very crucial to the well-being of their communities may consider contacting the Athens Foundation with their proposals for considerations.
Individuals and companies who feel connected in one or the other to the Athens Foundation’s values and wish to donate their widow’s mite to its course can also contacts the foundation for directives.
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