Extending a Helping Hand to His Hometown

When you grow up on the Elk River, you never take for granted the camaraderie of classmates and friends. A better choice of words to describe them would be extended family. No one exemplifies this more than Matt Holbert and his wife Nikki. “This town gave me my roots,” said Matt, who is a Clendenin native. “I would be remiss if I failed to give back when the Town needed me.”

For over two years, a faded For Sale sign was halftaped on the window of the Farmers & Citizens Bank (F&C) building, a historic Clendenin landmark established in 1923. The previous occupant, Chase Bank, left town after The Flood of 2016. There were many discussions among the locals as to what could go in there and who would buy it. At a time when the Town was devastated and everyone was trying to recover from the massive flood destruction, it seemed as though no one could step forward to purchase the building. That is, until two years later in 2018, when Matt and Nikki Holbert purchased the building.

The Holberts are no strangers to knowing what it takes to have successful businesses. They own the popular Bricks and Barrels restaurant, The Lucky Dill, Uncork and Create, and Axes and Ales in Charleston. “This purchase, however, had a deeper, more personal meaning,” said Matt. He grew up at the mouth of Doctors Creek just outside of Clendenin's city limits. He is the oldest son of David and Linda Holbert and has two younger siblings, Jason and Anita (King). He graduated from Herbert Hoover in 1991 and went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at WVU Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in telecommunication from George Washington University.

He and Nikki choose to define their own karma. “I believe it is important to invest in businesses that benefit the community,” said Matt. “This town matters, these town people matter, it’s my hometown. Sometimes you just know it’s up to you to believe, step up, and take a leap of faith. What better place to do it than in our Elk River community.” Nikki added, “It’s so nice to bring life back into the F&C building and be a part of the revitalization of the Town.”

Matt said, “The stately F&C building is not only majestic, but it has an amazing view of the Elk River. The town of Clendenin was slated to be one of the new trail towns for the Elk River Trail, coupled with two local kayak access points in north and south Clendenin. Nikki and I had a vision. This vision would not only offer rebirth for the F&C building, but for the Town as well.”

Lodging you ask? Welcome to Take Me Home Airbnbs!

The first two years after their F&C purchase involved a lot of sweat equity as the Holberts remodeled and transformed the second floor of the building into four Take Me Home Airbnb rooms which opened last year. Four additional rooms will be completed by next summer which will be a total of eight rentable bedrooms that share a spacious living room for relaxing and visiting with friends plus a breakfast area. There are plenty of books and games plus a television for guests who want to use the common area after a fun day on the rail or water trails. Matt said, “We have had guests from over 40 states and many others from our West Virginia counties as well.”

The Holberts preserved all of the original doors, door handles, and locks. It was Nikki’s idea to also recondition the old claw foot bathtub which is painted a gorgeous yellow coupled with candles surrounding it to create the perfect ambiance. They also named one of the bedrooms after Dr. O. M. Harper, who had his office upstairs and practiced in the Town for many years. This unit has a river view and a view of the new stage that was just constructed at the end of Clendenin’s Main Street. It is expected to be an extremely popular unit when the town hosts concerts and events. You can find all of their listings on airbnb.com; just choose Clendenin, WV as your location.

What else Is brewing in Clendenin? Duh, a brewery!

Stage two of the F&C bank building restoration culminated at the end of June this year! The Clendenin Brewing Company officially celebrated its grand opening on June 25 as The Mark Miller Band performed on stage, vendors lined Main Street, and the town was full of friends, families, and county/ state celebrities. Dave Knight, local entrepreneur, Clendenin Town Councilman, and good friend said “This is an exciting day for everyone. I encouraged (well, gently pushed) the Holberts to buy the building. I knew they were the right choice and today I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

The Holberts said, “Even though there is still a lot of work to do, our doors are officially open!” The first floor of the F&C is now divided into two sections. The main floor offers seating as well as a large bar and to the left is the new brewery. The old bank vault is prominently featured when you walk in the door. It is a great conversation starter for all their patrons. The Holberts also have an area between the seating area and the brewery so that visitors can see the beer being brewed.

“We encourage people to pick up food from the local restaurants including Momma Payne’s Diner, Elk River Bakery, Paddler’s, Giovanni’s and Frost Bite when they are coming to the Brewery. You can even enjoy a mug of Clendenin Brewing Company’s craft-beer at nearby Paddler’s Bar and Grill. Under the progressive leadership of Mayor Kay Summers, the town is working together and prospering. It’s a win-win for the whole Town.”

The Clendenin Brewing Co. offers a variety of hand-crafted beers: Clendenin Cream Ale (smooth drinking light ale with no bitterness); Amber Knights Ale (not your normal boring malty amber, throw some hops in there already!); Mothgirl Citrus IPA (juicy IPA with lower bitterness and tons of Citra and Mosaic hop flavors); Pentacre Porter (toasted barley notes with coffee and chocolate flavors on the finish); Three Step Mister Belgian Tripel (golden smooth tripel with a nice high ABV, careful on these or you won’t make it three steps); Big Sandy Session IPA (centennial hops for miles and miles makes this a very drinkable IPA) and Toehead Blonde (mild, easy drinking pale-colored beer).

The talented brewmaster is Matt’s friend, Tom Dawson, from the Tidewater Virginia area. “We’ve worked together as engineers for years and we both have entrepreneurial spirits. What I love about The Clendenin Brewing Co. is it is just what we envisioned: a place where locals, families, and visitors can gather together, meet up with old friends and make new friends, not to mention share a great beverage!,” he said. Tom said their vision from the beginning was to have a family-friendly, social-gathering atmosphere, not a bar. “We are seeing a lot of families stopping in, enjoying bingo and throwing a few soft axes at the target hanging on the wall. Laughter and conversation fill the air-- it’s all coming to fruition.”

Matt said, “Clendenin is an awesome little town where you can just come and get away from it all.” It’s a short drive from Charleston. Bring your bike (you can also rent one from Yak House Rentals) or just enjoy an evening walk on the trail or maybe sit on the new stage and take in the view of the peaceful Elk River. If you are looking for no crowds, a relaxing evening, and a fine craft beer, Matt says, “Come visit my hometown, Clendenin, where you are always treated like an old friend.”

Follow them on Facebook/Clendenin Brewing Co. and watch for announcements of their new craft beers, food, and events.