Tri-State Living • March/April 2024

March/April 2024

Movem.4ent.5 STARTING A

Khounlavong aims to keep wellness a community focus

FOR THE HOME Ashland shop has wide range of décor

TRI-STATE TREASURES Handmade items from Kin Ship Goods

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from the editor PUBLISHER Kevin Austin EDITORIAL Heath Harrison, Editor Mark Shaffer, Staff Writer Dawn Nolan, Contributor Amanda Larch, Contributor briefs@irontontribune.com ADVERTISING Christie Coleman, Sales Consultant christie.coleman@irontontribune.com PRODUCTION Kandi Thompson, Design PHOTOGRAPHY Larry Rees, Contributor Brenda Thompson, Contributor

March/April 2024

Movem.4ent.5 STARTING A

Khounlavong aims to keep wellness a community focus

FOR THE HOME Ashland shop has wide range of décor

TRI-STATE TREASURES Handmade items from Kin Ship Goods

on the cover Viviane Khounlavong works to promote fitness and wellness in the Tri-State.

[Photography by Brenda Thompson]

Counting down to big day

A

s this issue of Tri-State Living remains on the stands, the cold weather will melt away and spring will be in full swing.

And, with that, we will see the winding down of the school year and the return of outdoor events and festivals.

For this issue, we have a preview of spring and summer events, compiled by Dave Lavender, an institution of Tri-State journalism and entertainment coverage, highlighting many of the offerings throughout the region.

Here in Ironton, we are only a few months away from the return of the annual Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade, an event with more than a century and a half of tradition and the longest-running one of its kind in the nation.

While we encourage everyone from the region to come to Ironton to see it, we would also like to mention the amount of hard work that goes into it each year by the organizers.

For those in the area, consider helping out with the parade and its surrounding events. The parade committee is always in need of volunteers, who do everything from organizing the events divisions to directing traffic to providing emergency radio services.

And we would also suggest to the public to consider becoming an entrant in the parade — each year, the event features floats and marchers, not just from the veterans groups that make up its centerpiece, but also from local schools, churches, organizations, businesses and others.

The parade has a rich history and is a staple of the Tri-State and now, in its lead up is the time to consider becoming involved in a longstanding local source of pride.

More information can be found on the parade’s Facebook page and look for entry form for the event in The Ironton Tribune in coming weeks.

Tri-State Living (ISSN 02795124) is published every other month by Ironton Publications, Inc., 211 Center St., Ironton, OH 45638.

Periodicals postage paid at Ironton, OH. Copyright 2024 Ironton Publications, Inc. Reprint of any part of contents without permission is forbidden. Titles registered in the U.S. Patent Office.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tri-State Living, P.O. Box 647, Ironton, OH 45638-0647.

HEATH HARRISON is the community editor of The Ironton Tribune and Tri-State Living.

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March/April 2024 Table of Contents

8

arts & culture 8

ON DISPLAY Tayen Poplin specializes in spooky at Backfire Boo-tique

shopping 15

CHRISTIAN ALEXANDER Christian Alexander gives shoppers a selection of unique home décor

living

15

22

22

JACK & THE BEAN Coffee shop provides opportunities to those with disabilities

feature 28

DAVE'S PICKS Dave Lavender shares upcoming entertainment events

food 32

CRISPPI'S CHICKEN Huntington restaurant has offered fast casual dining since 2023

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FROM THE EDITOR Ironton gets parade ready

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arts & culture Tri-State Living

up close A chicken mask, one of many creations of Tayen Poplin, of Backfire Boo-tique.

p. 8

arts & culture | On Display

8 | Tri-StateLiving

On Display | arts & culture

Specializing in

Spooky Story Dawn Nolan | Photography Heath Harrison, Mark Shaffer

Backfire Boo-tique is latest of growing project

T

ayen Poplin was only seven years old when she started haunt acting.

“My first was Fallsburg [Fearplex],” she said.

While Fallsburg may have been her first experience with the industry, it certainly wasn’t her last. A few years after her family moved to Florida, Poplin, then 13, decided to volunteer as an actor for another local haunt and quickly moved up.

“I became assistant director for one of the trails when I was 14, and then I ended up becoming an assistant over the whole event at 15,” she recalled.

Due to the attraction’s limited budget, Poplin enlisted her dad’s help with prop building. It was his skill, combined with her experience and passion for the industry, that

inspired her senior homeschooling project.

“I wanted to do something big,” Poplin said. “So, I told my mom that I wanted to start a business.”

Project Backfire was established in 2021.

Poplin was 16 at the time.

“For the most part, it’s a father-daughter business,” Poplin said. “We make a lot of handheld props, masks, costumes, and we’ve started getting into static props and animatronics. We try to use recycled materials whenever possible.”

Poplin began volunteering at another Florida haunt, Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail in Plant City, as she got her business up and running.

“I volunteered there for about two years and got more knowledgeable around the media and that’s when my business started

Tri-StateLiving | 9

10 | Tri-StateLiving

to pick up more,” Poplin explains. “I was making my own costumes by then and I would let Sir Henry’s try out our products. They would test it, see how it worked and give us feedback.”

In 2022, Poplin was invited to vend at a new haunt convention in Owensboro called Fear Expo. She was hesitant at first, since her business was still very new, but she said “yes,” anyway.

“So, we drove from Florida to Owensboro and I ended up making enough money from that to be able to vend at the world’s largest haunt convention and trade show, TransWorld, in St. Louis, Missouri. From there, I started moving money back into the business and going to more and more shows, and now I own a store.”

That store opened in Ironton on New Year’s Day 2024, just a few weeks after the family moved back to the area.

“We wanted to come home and you’d be surprised at how many more haunts there are around here than in Florida,” Poplin said. “Not to mention the number of haunts further north that we haven’t reached yet. And, most of the people in Florida that have a haunt build their own props. There’s more of a market here.”

The front space is known as Backfire Boo-tique.

“Project Backfire is normally business-to-business; we’ve sold to theme parks, we’ve sold to zoos, we’ve sold to big name haunts and home haunters,” Poplin explained. “But, there’s never really been a retail side of it.”

Now with the “Boo-tique,” Poplin is able to carry spooky-themed T-shirts, backpacks and bags, pins, jewelry and other unusual gifts from other businesses that she likes.

“I’ve met a lot of artists, and I want to help as much as I can. So, I carry a lot of different stuff by a lot of different people.”

One example is Forevermore Dolls made by Pumpkin Pulp.

“We get a lot of weird reactions,” Poplin said. “I used to collect them. I just thought that they were creepy, and I liked them. I have a whole bunch of them, but we carry some in the store. People either really love them or think that they’re terrifying. Either way, people pay a lot of attention to them.”

A selection of the handheld props by Poplin’s dad,

Tri-StateLiving | 11

arts & culture | On Display

as well as her own masks and costumes, which are made in the workshop portion of the space, are also available for purchase.

“In the back is where we build the props and make the masks. We were doing it out of our house, so having a set place to work is very nice,” Poplin said.

As Project Backfire continues to grow and Poplin becomes more and more involved in the haunt industry, she hopes to share her experience with others like her. She has already created a “Young Hauntrepreneurs” Facebook group, for those in the industry and, in a broader sense, is looking into creating a nonprofit for the local community to help young entrepreneurs in any sector.

“I used to take business classes when I was just getting started, so I was like 14 or 15, trying to figure it all out,” she said.

“There’s not a lot of opportunity for young people to start a business, because you’re not always taken very seriously. People often think it’s just a hobby and that you’re going to drop it pretty quickly. But others like me do exist and, if they’re given the opportunity, they can thrive. I would like to see more of that in the community.”

Backfire Boo-tique is located at 106 S. Third St. in Ironton (look for Squeaky, the inflatable dog mascot on the window).

Store hours are typically 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. Call 606-694-1811, visit projectbackfire.com or search ‘Project Backfire Creations & Creations’ and ‘Project Backfire Boo-tique’ on Facebook for more information. a

12 | Tri-StateLiving

shopping Tri-State Living

up close Christian Alexander gives shoppers a selection of unique items for home décor.

p. 14 Tri-StateLiving | 13

shopping | In the Biz

Keeping things

unique

14 | Tri-StateLiving

In the Biz | shopping

Christian Alexander offers constantly changing selection of home décor Story Amanda Larch | Photography Heath Harrison

W

hat’s in a name? For Johnathan Jordan, an entire business enterprise.

With a dream of opening his own home décor shop, Jordan combined his two middle names, Christian and Alexander, knowing it would make the perfect business name.

“It just sounded like a good name, like a home décor store,” he says.

Combining his Kentucky roots with his California education, Jordan created and opened Christian Alexander Home, a quality goods, gifts, home décor and furnishings store, also offering seasonal and holiday items.

Specializing in luxury goods with affordable prices, Jordan relocated from Mount Dora, Florida, to Ashland, Kentucky a few years ago.

“I opened up the business in 2017 in South Florida,” Jordan says. “I was there for a little over a year and a half, and then I relocated to Kentucky to be closer to my family.”

Jordan went to school at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles for interior design, earning his associate of arts degree, and, with his

Tri-StateLiving | 15

shopping | In the Biz background and eye for design, he has found success in business.

When doing orders for brands such as Lafco NY, a home fragrance and body care company, Jaqua Bath and Body, Capri Blue, Classic Home, Fitz and Floyd and more, Jordan places order minimums — that way, there is no repeat of product, he says, which was a key inspiration behind opening Christian Alexander Home in the first place.

“Once that product collection sells out, a new collection comes in, and you have less opportunity of somebody else having the exact same product as what you just purchased,” Jordan explains.

“That’s what I search for, is to be able to bring pieces into your home that are more unique and something that you can’t find everywhere else,” he says.

One of the most popular and fastest selling product lines is Capri Blue home and bath fragrances, especially the Volcano scent that some customers may recognize from Anthropologie stores, Jordan says.

“We expanded it, not just in candles, we have the body care in it, and we have the laundry detergent and all that as well,” he says.

Jordan also partners with local and regional businesses to provide their products to his clientele, such as spices from Morehead, Kentucky and a bourbon line of spices made in Louisville, Kentucky.

He also sells olive wood cutting boards, handmade in Ashland, and handmade leather valet trays, coasters and keychains made by Forme and Ash Trading Company, exclusively for Christian Alexander Home.

“We have started working with people who are in the area to be able to sell products that are made locally,” Jordan says. “We have a whole new collection just come in that’s made in Ashland, so we try to keep that local business alive, if we can, and help each other out.”

Another aspect of Jordan’s business is offering consultations. Clients can bring in photos of rooms in their home or business and their inspiration behind what they want, and Jordan will take it from there to work his magic.

He recently completed aesthetics for The Nest in

16 | Tri-StateLiving

downtown Russell, bringing in that community impact once more.

“They needed some Christmas decorations, so they sent a couple inspirations like, ‘This is our concept of what we were thinking of, can we do something?’” he recalls. “I ran with it and came up with this over-the-top wrap that goes around the door, and it had about 600 ornaments inside of — it was just completely flooded with color. It was beautiful. I like those things; I love a challenge.”

The community support has been wonderful since he opened, Jordan says. In fact, regular customers more often than not feel more like family.

“I have customers come in all the time and, the first thing they do is give me a hug, and that’s a great response for me, that they feel that comfortable,” he says. “I love that.”

With experience working at big brand retail outlets, Jordan says the freedom to not only be creative, but the

In the Biz | shopping

ability to have full creative control is his favorite aspect of owing his own business, and as the only employee, his self-reliance and self-discipline keep the shop in perfect order.

“I do everything: my ordering, my displaying, my floral arrangements; I do it all,” Jordan says. “For me, number one, it’s freedom, to be able to be creative and to do what I know I can do.”

“I’ve worked for big corporations, but you always have to go into their vision line,” he continued. “It’s hard sometimes to step outside that corporate vision scale, but here, it allows me to step outside of that and be able to do other things I know are possible within my own crazy world that I live in, in my mind. Because I come up with inspirations in my sleep, so it’s nice.”

Some of Jordan’s biggest inspirations in his life and career are studying architecture, with a penchant for the old and historic.

“That is what inspires me to be able to do what I do

every day,” Jordan says. “I watch videos nonstop on abandoned mansions, how they ever got abandoned, how they were made 300 years ago and why they were built.”

Jordan’s personal style is a mix of modern contemporary, with a little bit of traditional.

“Because I came from Kentucky, I still have that classic, that traditional style that’s always in the back of me,” he says. “But, living in California, you have that modern take on things. It’s nice to be able to put the two together.”

As Christian Alexander Home changes each season, bringing in new and unique top-of-the-line items, Jordan says he also gets new product in about every two weeks to keep things fresh and exciting.

“There’s always going to be something new,” he says.

Christian Alexander Home is located in Suite 102 at 1505 Carter Ave. in Ashland and is open Tuesdays through Fridays, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturdays, from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. a

Tri-StateLiving | 17

shopping | Tri-State Treasures

made

LOCALLY Kin Ship Goods, owned by Hilary Harrison and Dan Davis, offers locally-made items. Shop in-store at 617 Tennessee Ave., Charleston, West Virginia or online at www.kinshipgoods.com.

I'd Rather Be Loafin Mug $16

Small Towner Hat $30

Possum Emblem Crewneck $60

18 | Tri-StateLiving

Tri-State Treasures | shopping

Official Cozy Pants $48

Stay Cozy Travel Mug $24

Appalachian T-shirt $30

Tri-StateLiving | 19

shopping | Tri-State Treasures

Porchsitters T-shirt $30

Find Your People T-shirt $30

20 | Tri-StateLiving

Lantern Hat $30

living Tri-StateLiving

up close Jack & the Bean provide opportunities to those with disabilities.

p. 22 Tri-StateLiving | 21

living | Jack & the Bean

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES Jack & the Bean allows those with special needs to gain independence, work experience

22 | Tri-StateLiving

Jack & the Bean | living

Story Dawn Nolan | Photography Larry Rees

A

t Jack & the Bean Coffee Company, “opportunity is served with every cup.”

The Kenova coffee shop, located in the former Chatterbox restaurant on Poplar Street, is open on Wednesday mornings from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. It supports individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities to gain independence and self-esteem through work experience and community engagement opportunities.

Former WSAZ anchor, Melanie Shafer Adkins, and her friend Beth Doak, came up with the idea for the business.

Adkins was inspired by her 21-year-old son, Jack. Jack is Adkins’ third child of five. He was diagnosed with autism as a toddler and is now in his last year of public school.

“As a mom with a special needs child, that 21 mark is like a mountain that looms ahead of you,” Adkins

described. “We were trying to figure out what was going to be next for Jack. He loves a schedule and he loves meeting people and being engaged. We thought we’d try a coffee service, because we had seen successes in other areas of the country.”

Jack & the Bean received its business license in March 2022 and starting doing small pop-up coffee services at West Edge Factory in Huntington.

“Jack loved it,” Adkins recalled. “So, we added more events and kept growing.”

A partnership with Diversified Assessment & Therapy Services, where Jack had been receiving services for years, was established in September 2023.

Jack & the Bean began serving customers inside Diversified’s renovated Day Center facility that month.

“The purpose of our day program is to integrate

Tri-StateLiving | 23

people with disabilities in the community to learn job training and social skills, and this partnership has allowed the people that we serve to gain those skills, develop relationships with customers and become an integral part of the community.” explains Morgan Thompson, Diversified’s day program director. “It’s a great feeling; there’s no other place like this. Everybody belongs, and you know that you’re going to leave with a smile.”

“A dear friend and Diversified’s Director of Business Services, Jamie Berry, and I had been collaborating on how to utilize the ‘dayhab’ and grow Jack & the Bean.

Ashton Harrison, a behavioral support personnel, was also hugely instrumental in getting things together, marketing and holding my hand as we made the big jump to a brick-and-mortar location. Without those two, it never would have happened!”

While Jack & the Bean is only open one day a week currently, there has been talk about adding another to

24 | Tri-StateLiving

the schedule.

“We’ve dipped our toe into the brick-and-mortar,” Adkins said. “Going forward, we’re planning to do one weekend day a month on a trial basis, and see what the response is like. It does need to stay viable.”

The team at Jack & the Bean is made up of Jack, along with baristas Sarah, Ricky, Randy, Hannah and Ali. The baristas were all trained prior to opening in how to take an order and how to speak to customers. They are shadowed and, if needed, given verbal prompts and nonverbal cues from Adkins and some of Diversified’s job coaches throughout service to ensure each customer’s drink is made correctly.

“We try to be as far back in that process as possible and let them take the lead,” Adkins explained. “The whole goal is for them to be independent.”

The support that Jack & the Bean has received from the community thus far has, as Adkins described, been “heartwarming and overwhelming.”

Jack & the Bean | living

“We now have a whole group of regular, new friends that come and visit us,” Adkins said. “It’s so fun to see how excited they get when new people come in.

Gwen Clayton, an Ashland resident who works in Huntington, is one of those regulars.

“I look forward to starting my Wednesday mornings with a hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa from Jack & the Bean,” she said. “It’s my weekly reminder that there is still good in the world. The pride and friendly atmosphere is the magic ingredient.”

Even with the space, Jack & the Bean will continue to cater and set up at events.

“We can go big or we can go small,” Adkins explained. “We’ve done a wedding shower, a baby shower, Valley Health’s Christmas Party. When we started our mobile service, we served six cups of coffee at an insurance agency. We will always do private events because I feel like there are a lot of people who can’t get here and that way they can support us.”

Another way to support Jack & the Bean’s mission is through an online donation at jack-and-the-bean.com/donate.

“We received our 501(c)(3) non-profit status over the summer, so anyone that wants to donate our efforts can do so,” Adkins said. “We appreciate any community support that we receive.”

For Adkins, the decision to start Jack & the Bean has been a “big learning curve,” but one that she doesn’t regret at all.

“I’ve really enjoyed it, and I’ve loved partnering with Diversified. They have been so generous and helpful. I can’t say enough good things about them. We wouldn’t have

Tri-StateLiving | 25

been able to make it as a brick-andmortar without their generosity,” Adkins said. “I also want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone that has come by to show us some love, meet our crew and watch them shine. They have really, really grown in their independence, and I am so proud of each of them.”

Jack & the Bean Coffee Company is located at 1404 Poplar Street in Kenova. Hours are Wednesdays from 6-10 a.m. Call 304-633-0105, email jackandthebeancoffee@yahoo.com or visit jack-and-the-bean.com for more information. Follow Jack & the Bean on Facebook by searching ‘Jack & the Bean Coffee Company.’ a

26 | Tri-StateLiving

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feature | Dave’s Picks

DAVE’S PICKS

Plenty of upcoming entertainment events for the Tri-State in coming months

I

Story Dave Lavender

n the words of the late, great Jerry Jeff Walker, “Getting by on getting by is my stock and trade.”

And, here in the icy maw of winter, that getting by looks a whole lot like spying what art, music, films, theater and festivals, lie in wait for us in 2024.

Here’s a look at just a few things that have got me saving dates, hitting those early bird ticket specials and having a mid-summers night’s dream about music-filled festival nights.

A FEAST OF MUSIC FESTIVALS Here in the Tri-State and in the shadow of The Country Music Highway, where artists have collectively sold more than 150 million records, it’s no surprise that folks want to hear who’s next, and to hear original recipe bluegrass and old-time music that flows like water through our hills and hollers. Luckily, the Tri-State is brimming with festivals old and new that celebrate the best of our locally-made, world-class music.

A couple old-and-in-the-way fests not to miss: RudyFest, over at Poppy Mountain (June 19-22). Don’t miss a chance to see Dan Tyminski Band on that Friday and now 85-year-old bluegrasss singing patriarch Del McCoury on that Saturday.

28 | Tri-StateLiving

Over at the Robert Newlon Airpark, on the banks of the Ohio, and just north of Huntington, the uniquely set Fly In Festival (at the home of the Tri-State Skydivers and this grass runway general aviation airport), hosts a national act bluegrass and old-time fest on July 25-27. Hosted by the world-class old-time band The Bing Brothers with Jake Krack, the Fly In features the red-hot Appalachian Road Show, Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hills Hustle, and a tribute to the late, great flat picker, Tony Rice.

New festival kids on the block include some keepers over in Eastern Kentucky: Fallsburg Summer Stage hits May 17-18, with an eclectic Americana lineup that features nationally-touring artists such as Tommy Prine, Cole Chaney, DJ Charlie Brown Superstar, Local Honeys and more. Over in Greenup, up-and-coming singer/ songwriter Jayce Turley and friends host the Little Sandy Shakedown July 19-20, with such acts as El Dorodo (members of Tyler Childers’ band), Dark Moon Hollow and a couple dozen more. Also, if you’re jonesing for even more eclectic and international music, the 18th annual Nelsonville Music Fest (July 26-28) at Snow Fork Center is what I call the Goldilocks of fests. And what Billboard Magazine calls “one of the best-kept secrets of the U.S. music festival circuit.”

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! In the Jewel City of Huntington, the indie filmmaking scene is building buzz by the minute, with Marshall University putting into play a B.F.A. in Filmmaking, starting in the Fall 2024 and the film scene popping off with WV’s revived film office and tax incentives.

The Foundry Theater (above Huntington City Hall) plays host to the revived Appalachian Film Festival, which runs April 2628, with the best of short, student, documentary and feature films from around Appalachia’s 13 states. The Appy kicks off on Friday, April 26, with the best regional music videos at The Loud, before moving over to the Foundry, which also hosts a monthly Open Screen Night, for regional filmmakers. Additionally, the Foundry hosts August’s Huntington Music and Arts Fest’s annual 72-Hour Film Fest (which had 19 filmmaking teams in 2023), and October’s Appalachian Queer Film Fest, which drew in film fans from around the U.S. Check out more about The Foundry and Appy Film Fest at https://www.foundrytheater.org

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE Growing up on the Southern Coast of Ohio, being a fan of the late, great poet, pirate, sailor and merry prankster Jimmy Buffett was a given.

That was cemented after I got to cover one of his always-epic Riverbend concerts while interning at the Cincy Enquirer back in the day. Although we lost that son of a son of a sailor to cancer in September 2023, Jimmy’s inspiring spirit will be blowing full force into

Tri-StateLiving | 29

feature | Dave’s Picks Huntington’s Ritter Park Amphitheater this summer as HART in the Park will whisk us away to the Caribbean to present Buffett’s musical, “Escape to Margaritaville,” a musical comedy packed with some of JB’s most beloved classics such as “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” “Margaritaville” and “Five O’Clock Somewhere.”

The show is sure to have a special feel as the Smirl/ McElroy clan were friends with Buffett, who first did a guest spot on The McElroy’s “My Brother, My Brother and Me” comedy podcast back in 2017. Buffett then invited Justin McElroy (who plays Brick in “Escape”) and his wife, Syd (who plays Tammy in “Escape”) to join their friend Lin Manuel Miranda to the 2017 Chicago premiere of Escape, and would subsequently invite the whole clan (including HART founders Tommy and Mary Smirl, who is director of “Escape”) to his Riverbend shows.

Dates for “Escape” are July 5-7 and 12-14. Check out the HART in the Park FB page for more details on this show (and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”) and go ahead and get that summer fever started with a great JB playlist curated by Justin … www.vulture.com/2023/09/ mbmbam-jimmy-buffett-perfect-playlist.html CATCH A LAUGH OR 20 With 2024 an election year and political ads (from all three freaking states) already driving us batty, it’s good to know we can unplug and go blow off some steam with some live comedy.

It’s been no secret the Paramount Arts Center has really taken things up a notch and booking a wild range of acts for 2024. One great thing they have revived is The Comedy Zone, which has monthly shows at the historic Ashland theater. And the Paramount is also reeling in some comedy legends, including Jay Leno and Howie Mandel. Check those out at www.paramountartcenter. com. Additionally, Huntington Comedy keeps the next generation working on fresh material with alternating live comedy shows around Huntington. The comedy troupe pinballs around the downtown, with monthly shows at the Black Sheep Burrito and Brews at Pullman Square, as well as its Spitballing series — across and

30 | Tri-StateLiving

under Third Avenue at The Cellar Door, and Couch Surfers, a house show series. Check out the Huntington Comedy FB page for more info.

BE A PREPPER FOR AMERICA 250 America celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, but, here in the Tri-State, we’ll get that party started a wee early thanks to Lord Dunmore’s War. On. Oct. 10, 2024, Battle Days in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, will be leading the charge for America 250, with a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle, which was the largest of any pre-prior to the Revolutionary War and setting the stage for America’s fight for independence.

You can “prep” for Battle Days by diving into a series of amazing books by one of the world’s leading authorities on that time period, the late, great eight times Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian and Ohio native writer Allan Eckert. His landmark “Winning of America” series can be found through Ashland’s Jesse Stuart Foundation.

Order here https://jsfbooks.com/product/the-winning-ofamerica-series-6-book-set/ Also recommend a fresh, breezier, but also factuallybased historic fiction of our area and that specific preRevolutionary time “Through The Fading Darkness,” written by WV author Zac Northrop with Nancy Bruns.

Dave Lavender is a freelance journalist and program coordinator at West Virginia Film Office. a

Tri-StateLiving

food

up close Huntington's Crisppi's Chicken has offered fast casual dining since 2023.

p. 32 Tri-StateLiving | 31

food | Crisppi’s Chicken

A passion

FOR PEOPLE Crisppi’s Chicken focused on welcoming customers

32 | Tri-StateLiving

Crisppi’s Chicken | food Story Amanda Larch | Photography Larry Rees

C

risppi’s Chicken in Huntington is so much more than a fast casual restaurant. Nothing about it is typical, and everything about it stands out, inviting others to — to borrow their slogan — join the movement.

Located in a prime downtown location, Crisppi’s Chicken has an upscale, yet friendly and welcoming feel, thanks in part to the smiling and helpful staff. A clean and well-lit restaurant, a steady stream of customers keeps the place abuzz.

Brittany Tolliferreo, founder and owner of Crisppi’s, formerly known as Chick-A-Boom, was inspired to open her own restaurant in her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first Crisppi’s opened in 2019, and the Huntington location had its grand opening on Dec. 15, 2023.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, Tolliferreo loves cooking, often inventing her own recipes, and, with encouragement from friends and a desire to benefit her community, she turned her passion into a career and franchise.

“I do a lot of cooking at home, and I love chicken, so it started at home, me having a group of friends together, putting the sandwiches together, putting different recipes together, and they all loved it,” she says. “The neighborhood that I was living in at the time had a vacant storefront. It was kind of like a food desert, so I inquired about the building and then opened a store.”

Legendary Marshall University Thundering Herd receiver and College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss caught on to the success and mission of what was then Chick-A-Boom through social media, and Tolliferreo

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food | Crisppi’s Chicken connected with him, leading to Moss eventually becoming her business partner.

“He saw one of our sponsored ads on social media and he liked the post, and I took the opportunity to reach out to him to see if he was interested, with him just hearing where I started my journey, to see if we shared the same vision,” Tolliferreo says.

From the beginning of their partnership, Moss, a Rand, West Virginia native, was adamant about opening a location in his home state.

“And what better place open up than Huntington?” Tolliferreo says.

All of Crisppi’s sandwiches are Tolliferreo’s original recipes and are dripping with so much sauce and flavor, you’re going to need a few extra napkins with your meal. Some of the most popular and top sellers include the honey garlic parmesan, sweet Thai chili and the honey buffalo bacon ranch chicken sandwiches.

Other chicken sandwiches include mango habanero, jalapeno honey, honey mustard, buffalo and original. All are available in combos, with crinkle cut fries or by themselves. Each flavor is also available as a chicken and waffles slider.

Fresh, made-to-order donuts and waffles are another big hit, Tolliferreo says, and some favorite waffle flavors include cinnamon toast crunch, fruity pebble and strawberries and cream.

Tolliferreo says she would recommend any of the gourmet chicken sandwiches to first time customers.

“You can’t go wrong with any chicken sandwich. It just depends on your mood, how you feel in that day, but I definitely would recommend the sweet Thai chili chicken sandwich,” she said. “My personal

34 | Tri-StateLiving

favorite is the cinnamon toast crunch chicken and waffles. Or if I want something that’s a little bit smaller in portion, I would definitely go for the honey garlic parmesan chicken and waffles slider.”

Tolliferreo says Crisppi’s has been successful because they don’t compromise when it comes to the quality ingredients they use.

“Everything is made fresh to order; our packaging is very high end and elegant,” she says. “It’s not one of those brown paper bags you get at your typical fast-food place.

We want people to feel good when they come here and know that they’re appreciated from what they eat, from their first bite, to the packaging when they receive it.”

The community support has meant a lot to the entire Crisppi’s team, and Tolliferreo says they appreciate, and try to implement, any feedback they receive.

With the success of the Huntington restaurant, which is the first dine-in Crisppi’s location, Tolliferreo plans to open a drive-thru location in Charleston, West Virginia, within the next few months. Additionally, she says, they will soon test out a limited time offering menu, which will include macaroni and cheese.

“I’m very excited about that,” she says. “We’ll be

adding to the menu, too, some salads for people who are a little bit more health conscious. I’m super excited about adding new things and seeing everyone’s feedback.”

One of Tolliferreo’s favorite aspects of running and owning her business, aside from cooking and creating new recipes, is interacting with people, including customers, as well as her team.

“I love to motivate the people that are in here, like my team,” she says. “You never know what you’re going to get in any day, so I like to go with the flow, and serving people, having people come in and watch them enjoy your food, your whole entire product, I think that’s the best thing to me.”

Seeing happy customers adds a level of satisfaction for Tolliferreo, especially as a chef.

“Because it’s really like my brainchild, so just to see everybody enjoying it, it’s amazing,” she says. “Everybody loves the product, and they love the chicken and that’s most important to me.”

Crisppi’s Chicken is located at 801 3rd Ave. in Huntington, and its hours of operation are MondaySaturday, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. a

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food | From the Cookbook

Smoky Chorizo & Chicken Pozole • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 9 ounces Cacique Pork Chorizo • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano • 6 ounces Cacique Medium Homestyle Salsa • 1 quart chicken stock • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed of excess fat and diced • 1 can (25 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed • 1 lime, cut into wedges • 3/4 cup crumbled Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

36 | Tri-StateLiving

In large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil. Reserve 1/4 cup onion for garnish; add remaining onion to pot and season with salt. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high; add pork chorizo and break it apart with spoon. Cook chorizo undisturbed until deeply browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes.

Add smoked paprika and oregano; cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Pour in salsa and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to simmer 1-2 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly then add stock and bring to simmer.

Stir in diced chicken and hominy. Decrease heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.

Remove from heat.

Serve bowls of pozole with reserved onion, lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro.

Blueberry Crumble • 1 can blueberry pie filling • 1 box yellow cake mix • 1 bag (4 ounces) chopped pecans • 1 stick butter, melted • 1/4 cup oil • Whipped cream, for serving (optional) • Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spread pie filling on bottom of 9-by-11-inch pan.

Sprinkle cake mix and pecans on top. Do not mix.

Drizzle melted butter and oil on top of cake mix and pecans. Do not mix. Lift pan and tilt from side to side until cake mix is completely covered in butter.

Bake 1 hour until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

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the last word

WORKING TOWARDS WELLNESS

H

ave you noticed what has happened in our region?

There has been a large health and wellness shift that has been changing lives all over the Tri-State. Twelve years ago, when I first started as a personal trainer and wellness coach, there were only a handful of us. Each city had one or maybe two small locally-owned gyms that mostly sat empty.

Now, we have access to a variety of national chains, local and regional gyms, fitness centers, and yoga studios.

Each location has at least three or four trainers and our local yoga studio has graduated over a hundred new yoga teachers.

Why is this happening?

I attest it to the fact that we were fed up with being consecutively marked as one of the “unhealthiest places to live” by Business Insider magazine. Many of us were tired of being branded with negative titles.

So we decided we deserved more. We got off the couch, laced up our running shoes, dusted off the dumbbells, unrolled our yoga mats and started a movement. That movement is loud and proud.

We believed we could and we are doing it! It started with just a few of us believing we could create more access to healthy living. We’ve changed the dynamic and learned how to create our own story of real, long lasting lifestyle changes.

I have never been more grateful to be a coach and trainer in our small region as I am today. Where we were

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Viviane Khounlavong is an E-RYT800 yoga instructor, yoga therapist, reiki master, wellness coach and personal trainer.

once judged for just talking about eating better, getting a little more fit, and feeling better about ourselves; now it’s the norm and I’m in love with our new normal.

So, what’s next? Let’s keep it going. Let’s strive for more. My challenge to the community is to make this movement a masterplan. We have to keep setting the standard for future generations. We have to keep momentum. We have to keep MOVING. With the foundation we’ve built in the past decade, I know we will continue to succeed.

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