POWELL CO., Ky. (LEX 18) — Opening a business in the Red River Gorge was never part of Shawn and Crystal Thatcher’s plans, but when life handed them lemons, they knew what to do.

“I was working in the coal mines, he was working at a surgeon’s office, and I got laid off,” said Shawn.

Re-evaluating their careers, the duo decided to do something completely different, maybe even a little crazy.

“Our first thought was a food truck because that seemed more manageable, so we started buying equipment for a food truck and then a small building opened up in our hometown and we cashed in on everything we had,” Crystal said. .

The Thatchers went all-in on a barbecue restaurant in Jackson, even though they had never worked in the restaurant industry before. They collected some family recipes and called it Thatcher Barbecue Company.

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Then, as the Thatchers were returning to their roots and the times when they visited the Red River Gorge, another idea emerged.

“If you do any research in the restaurant business, any restaurant is slow from 5 to 6 o’clock on a Monday, but by the time you get here at 5 or 6 o’clock, they are surrounded. “The building at Miguel’s and other restaurants,” said Shawn. “I’ve been coming to the Gorge all my life and I didn’t realize how many tourists came here.”

Thatcher Barbecue Company moved to Slade in 2021, but they faced all the hurdles of the pandemic as they tried to open their new facility.

“At one point we said, ‘We’re not going to be able to do this,’ and we almost gave up,” said Shawn.

But they would have put in too much effort to back out so quickly.

The Thatchers were able to pull it off, and today Natural Bridge Road features a lively barbecue restaurant and music venue, often selling the most popular items on the menu.

Asked if they thought the Thatchers would become a significant part of the Gorge, the couple said: “It certainly has.”

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Even without the brisket, customers keep coming back for Pit House, the music venue next door.

Here, the venue and packed bar host crowds of 150+ to watch singers/songwriters perform.

Noting the posters showing all the artists decorating their stage, Shawn said, “Music is life to us, it’s as much a part of it as barbecue.”

Nine years into what some consider a crazy business venture, Thatcher Barbecue Company has already become the go-to place in the Gorge.