Good Fellows: A Story of Second Chances
Woodbine, Iowa (pop. 1,459) is our featured rural community this week. Woodbine is a community known for working together to get important — and sometimes very ambitious — community projects done. The result is a thriving small town that has made huge progress in revitalizing both its downtown and the community as a whole. We'll be sharing stories throughout the week of some local leaders and business owners who are making an impact in the community. Today's guest blog post is from Todd Waite, Woodbine native and co-owner of local restaurant Good Fellows.
* * *
Good Fellows is a family-friendly restaurant serving modern American cuisine at regional fare on the corner of 5th & Walker in Woodbine’s historic, award-winning downtown business district. Set in a recently renovated nineteenth century Odd Fellows Lodge, Good Fellows provides outstanding service and delicious food and drinks amidst the ambiance of an era gone by.
Our story is one of second chances. It began in 2015 at a different restaurant in the same location. Following its untimely closing in the fall of 2017, our team that had worked so hard and achieved so much scattered in different directions. For a time it seemed that would be the end of the story; a fading memory of a restaurant family haunted by the most unsettling of questions, ‘what might have been?’ Maybe as testimony to the old cliché that the world works in mysterious ways, our shared loss and heartbreak set the stage for an improbable comeback. After speaking with the building’s owners, who expressed their desire to find a new operator, a group of former workers contacted local business leaders and community members and began the process of starting over. Our name pays homage to the building’s founders, the Odd Fellows, and the eclectic group of anonymous silent investors known simply as Good Fellows. Good Fellows believe that if more of us valued food and cheer and song over hoarded gold, the world would be a happier place.
By choosing a namesake rooted in principles of service and fellowship instead of power and personality, we sought a new beginning in a familiar place. As for the workers who found employment elsewhere during the months-long rebuilding process, they were all back in black on March 9, 2018 for opening night. Since then, three of them have either graduated or are currently enrolled in culinary school, and we’ve added additional services like a food truck named Judy, off-site catering, a private event room, outdoor dining, and local delivery. Our menus feature many made-from-scratch ingredients including sauces, dressings, doughs, and rubs that result in some of the finest bbq, burritos, pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and desserts in the county and beyond. Our prime rib and shrimp specials on Saturday night draw crowds from miles around and our selection of local craft beers create the finest flights in the area.
In an industry that rewards consistency in terms of product and presentation, 2020 feels like playing restaurant aboard a roller coaster at night. A few short months ago it was inconceivable to think about operating our kitchen without a dining room, or serving our guests behind masks through car windows. While the present remains marred by uncertainty, our faith in each other and our appreciation for the community that has supported us through these unprecedented times has never been stronger. These days, our dining room is open in the evenings Monday - Saturday. We offer carry out and local delivery for lunch Monday - Friday and Sunday evenings. We’re proud of what we do, and how we do it, and we love this place we call home. Bring your appetite, and your friends, and come visit us soon in downtown Woodbine!
Follow Good Fellows here:
Find out more about the rural revival happening in Woodbine, Iowa here:
EPISODE 104 // MINDY CROOK AND DARIN SMITH OF ARCH ICON
SHE LOVES THE COFFEE, HE LOVES THE ART
RURAL ROUTE ROAD TRIP: WOODBINE, IOWA
And be sure to stop by Woodbine on your next trip to the Loess Hills!
Find all the great places to stop in our Loess Hills Field Guide.