I hate it when things like this happen. I took a trip to East Davis Street last weekend to check out Clarke’s Hardware Store, a one-of-a-kind relic of the older and slower days in the Country. I was going to stop and get a drink at the Hazel River Inn, which is just across the street.
Van Dyke and I were there just last fall. started drinking wine at lunch, at the fine-dining establishment “It’s About Thyme” just up the street. It was a nice fall day last year, and having completed our meal, moved on down the street with an eye toward continuing our festivities. We went past the Copper Fish and wandered toward the Hazel River Inn, which was cool and dark and had plenty of fine whiskey behind the bar.
The staff was friendly and as we lowered the level of the brown liquid in the bottles behind the bar, they became expansive, and gave us a tour of the old Jail downstairs, which had been used by both Confederate and Union armies when they exchanged possession of East Davis Street.
They even showed us the store room down in the Rathskeller from which most of the paranormal stuff is said to radiate, according to the Twisted Paranormal Society, which conducted an independent investigation of what many workers reported.
Very cool afternoon, and we vowed to come back and make an evening of it downstairs.
A little digging- once again sober- revealed the sweeping history of the place. The land on which it is built was surveyed by a seventeen-year-old George Washington. The first structure was erected on plot 35 was noted in a bill of sale from 1790. A cousin of one of the owners signed the Declaration of Independence. In addition to serving as a restaurant, the building has served as a tobacco warehouse, stable, tin shop, telegraph station and antique store.
Peter and Karen Stogbuchner are the owners, opening the restaurant in 1999, and three years later the Hazel River Pub below it. Apparently it was THE place to be in Culpeper’s renaissance decade, and they features local bands with live music. They transformed it into the Rathskeller just two years ago and specialized in dishes from Peter’s native Austria.
I mention all this because I opened my copy of the Clarion-Bugle and discovered the Stogbuchners decided to end their run at the corner of East Davis and East streets and closed the restaurant and bar on Tuesday.
“We have loved serving you for the last 16 years,” the couple wrote in a joint statement posted on the doors. “We are proud to be part of this community and hope to continue to be able to contribute when and where we can.”
They will keep their bed and breakfast place on Eggbornsville Road, but it is not the same thing. More of a vanity place to serve four-course meals in a farm-to-table menu.
According to the paper, the Stogbuchners are going to sell the building and fixtures for a hair under $800 grand. I went through the couch cushions and didn’t find enough loose change to come close.
I hate it when I miss a good thing, you know?
Copyright 2015 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303