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Klondike under new management |
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Thursday, 20 October 2005 |
 | Jonathan Williams | Chief Photographer
The new owner of Klondike Cafe, Allie Woods, rings up a lunch customer Tuesday afternoon. |
by KYLE CONRAD
Lifestyles Reporter
The Klondike Café has been a long-time fixture near the Appalachian State University campus.
New owner Allie Woods vows to uphold the charm that has made Klondike a part of Boone for several decades.
Woods, a graduate of Appalachian State University, cooks, serves and bartends, while greeting customers.
“It brings a personal touch to be able to call [customers] by their
name,” Woods said. “I want it to be like the old days when your
bartender was also your therapist.”
Woods worked as a manager at the restaurant as a student, and said he
“kicked the idea around” about someday buying Klondike. Woods
bought the restaurant after a short stint in sales. He compared
his experience to the dismal and directionless lives of the characters
in the dark comedy “Office Space.”
“Each day was worse than the one before it,” Woods said.
Woods said his experience in his previous occupation made him realize there were much worse things than owning a restaurant.
While Klondike has retained its original atmosphere, Woods said he
implemented some much-needed changes to “the little things,” which he
said will make a big difference.
“I want to make the atmosphere in Klondike one where everyone is
comfortable and one that encourages everyone to come in,” Woods said.
Changes have been made to the restrooms, along with some exterior and interior painting.
“It just needed a little TLC,” Woods said. “It’s still a work in progress.”
Woods said the restaurant now serves beer on tap, and he has made some small changes to the restaurant’s menu.
Fortunate for regular customers, Woods preserved such favorites as the
frequently-ordered buffalo chicken wrap and the famous chili, which
often provides relief to customers seeking an escape from Boone’s
frosty winter weather.
The restaurant is right across the street from Holmes Convocation Center.
Students often visit the restaurant after class for a cold beer or one of Klondike’s famous wraps.
“I enjoy going there because Allie and the employees are all genuinely nice,” junior business major Bradley D. Rhyne said.
“It’s just a place where you can go have a good time in a safe atmosphere.”
At night, Klondike transforms into one of the most popular clubs in the
area, with DJs on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights who
cater to patrons on the dance floor.
Woods said he looks forward to scheduling more live acts for the club in the future.
Woods said one of his main goals when he purchased the establishment was to maintain quality and efficient service.
The employees, most of whom are also Appalachian students, reflect
Woods’ charisma, often making it a point to connect with and establish
a friendly relationship with patrons at the establishment.
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