Strevig's Bar??? NOT!

You know that over the years, many places have come and gone for Steady Point. Coverts are constantly in a state of flux. Clients come and go! Friends for years, get distant or pass away. Businesses change hands or sometimes just fade away.

Now recently we had family and friends up to Hittle's Half-A-Hill camp for our annual deer hunt. Upon arriving at camp early on Sunday morning and unpacking, I was thrilled to know that soon my friends and brother would arrive at camp. When we scouted some spots and got ourselves settled into camp that night. We enjoyed a bite to eat at the camp. We all decided that we would hit a few of our normal watering holes just to enjoy the whole deer camp experience.

We first started at the Jamison City Hotel, right outside of Central, PA. After a beer, I soon learned that my friend Henry Schumacker had just left the restaurant. After a brief conversation with the owner of the bar, Jody, we decided that we would stop at another place that we always had a great time, Strevig's Restaurant and Bar. Now the Bar part is very important to this story.

We entered the bar, to the familiar sight of the fine oak bar, made from hardwood flooring, which always seemed really cool to me. We sat down, with visions of our past times at Strevig's, but it was not to happen. Halfway through my first beer, I was quickly told by the bartender "Keep it down!" "We have folks in the dinning room!"

Well, shocked that one, I was addressed in reference to the volume of my group, in which no profanity was used or unorthodox jokes, just friendly conversation! Two this is a bar, correct? It isn't Steady Point's fault that you have a small place. I just felt that the issue one could have been handled a bit better and in a more courteous manner. Now although, I have been know to have some fun, when I am with the Steady Point Bunch, I can assure all of those that follow my blog and have been clients, that when I enter an establishment that I frequent with Clients, I am on my best behaviour.

That being said, we were then snubbed by the tender. While my boys sat with empty beer mugs for over 5 minutes, I refused to have my people treated in this manner, with my reputation as a hunting guide and business operator, in the area that we operate our service. So that being said the rude tender got a pittance of a tip, when I usually tip well over 25 % for our drinks and meals. As we headed out, I felt it necessary to get a hold of a waitress that has waited on me in the past and share my disappointment with her. I pulled her aside in a professional manner and explained to her my issue. I mean this place is listed as a bar and during Deer Season, you mean to tell me , as a business owner, you are that well off that you can talk to customers in this manner? I was totally disappointed with her answer, as I came to find out that the tender was the owner's daughter. Well, guess what, Steady Point's business will be brought elsewhere from now on!

We then were so happy when we saw the soft red glow of the sign for the Rickett's Glen Hotel, right outside of Red Rock, PA. We were quickly greeted as if we were family. Treated with the utmost respect, so much so that the owner, Scott came out and greeted us and welcomed us to his establishment. The bar was packed with locals. We quickly made friends at the bar because all the guys from the Steady Point bunch are just like me, personable! I bought a round of drinks for the bar and we enjoyed our first night at deer camp, making new friends, business contacts and acquiring hunting land to hunt in the area that we operate in. That is what a business is about!!!!

We visited Rickett's Glen Hotel again later that week and once again, were greeted like family, only this time the folks knew who we were and that we were there to have fun and spend money! That night ended at early closing, but we were invited to stay later and enjoy the company of Scott, the owner, and Romain, the tender. What a bunch of great folks.

We didn't kill a buck in the camp, had some close calls, but hell its hunting. But the business contacts I made during my time there were priceless. One bit of advice, " When you operate a business, you need to pay attention to all your customers, not just the locals you know.  You never know if that person right there spends alot of money or has a business himself!!! It doesn't matter what a person looks like or if his face is familiar to you. Hope you learn your lesson, I know I did!!!

Steady Point Upland Guide