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| Boone Saloon fills King Street vacancy,
keeps kitchen open late |
by Anna Oakes
Staff Writer
A new restaurant and bar called Boone Saloon is open for business.
The restaurant, located at 489 W. King St., opened Friday.
Boone Saloon is in the space formerly occupied by Caribbean Cafe
between The Jean Pool and Mountaineer Mania.
“[Boone Saloon] has got to be, by far, the coolest bar around,”
co-owner Brady Sleeper said. “Our bar offers a really hip,
relaxing atmosphere to hang out.”
Sleeper opened Boone Saloon along with co-owners Skip and Kelly
Sinanian, Matt Johnson and Allan Williams.
Sleeper said Skip Sinanian selected the name Boone Saloon. They
could not believe that someone had not chosen that name already,
he said.
“We’re a restaurant first and foremost,” Sleeper
said. “We really try to make a point of having really good
food.”
In addition to basic grill food, Boone Saloon offers entrees such
as salmon, pasta and vegetarian dishes, Sleeper said.
Boone Saloon offers a wide selection of beer and wine, including
specialty beers and “a wine for every meal,” Sleeper
said.
Boone Saloon features two new pool tables, a small stage and “the
best jukebox selection in the High Country,” Sleeper said.
The restaurant will eventually feature live music and the owners
have “really cool ideas” about other events as well,
Sleeper said.
Sleeper said that six months were spent renovating the space.
“It’s very warm; it’s the nicest place in town,”
Sleeper said.
Boone Saloon’s decor includes stained glass, exposed brick
walls, high ceilings, bright colors, mounted art, solid oak tables
and custom woodworking.
The bar itself was carved from a single white oak tree by local
woodworker Bucky Black, Sleeper said.
“Folks come in and say, ‘Oh, it doesn’t even look
like the same place,’” Sleeper said.
Boone Saloon’s spacious restrooms are also a plus, he said.
The facility will be smoke-free until 10 p.m., Sleeper said. After
10 p.m., smoking will be allowed, but not encouraged.
Sleeper said he wanted to stress that they want as many college
students to come to Boone Saloon as possible, but they will not
tolerate “rowdy college drunks.”
“We want everyone to be comfortable,” Sleeper said.
“This is a very laid-back atmosphere; we want drinkers and
non-drinkers alike to feel welcome here.”
Josh G. Epley will serve, bartend and cook at Boone Saloon. Epley
said Boone Saloon would appeal to students because the kitchen is
open until 1 a.m.
“We have an awesome menu, but cheap,” Epley said. “And
we’ve got dollar beers. You can roughly have a beer and lunch
for under five bucks, which I think is hard to do anymore.”
Some of Epley’s own art pieces hang on the walls of Boone
Saloon.
“[Boone Saloon] is a little more classy [and] upscale [than
other bars],” Myra A. Farmer said. Farmer is also a server
and bartender at Boone Saloon.
“The aesthetic value … is amazing,” she said.
“I think women would really appreciate just how pretty the
bar is.” |
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