TABLE ROCK TAVERN

Finding friendsA new business in town, the Table at the Table Rock Tavern has been a huge hit for the last couple of months. Jill Broyles, owner and operator is excited for the summer season.

Rock Tavern

Alocal Shell Knob business recently opened its doors after a year of renovations. The Table Rock Tavern, opened on December 5, 2021.

Jill Broyles, owner and operator of the Table Rock Tavern, said that the idea came to her after decades of visiting the lake.

“I’ve been coming to the lake area with my parents since 1979,” she said. “We would camp in Viola for two weeks every year.”

While she is originally from the Wichita, Kansas, area, Jill moved to Carthage in 2020.

“I would come to my lake house here in Shell Knob on the weekends,” Jill said. “One day, I was on Facebook and I asked, on the Table Rock Group page what there is to do in the area, and if they would be interested in a sports bar?”

Jill discovered, if she built it, they would come.

“Within two days the Facebook post had over 600 comments,” she said. “It blew up from there.”

Jill leases the property from Mike Fitzpatrick. Based on the Facebook response, Mike’s wife reached out to Jill and told her Mike might have the perfect property.

“Mike has been great to work with,” Jill said. “It all started in January 2021. So there was a year of renovations, and Mike paid for all of them.”

Jill worked managing an assisted living facility until April 2021, when she moved to Shell Knob full time.

“I wanted to oversee stuff,” she

Table Rock Tavern opened on December 5, 2021. Jill Broyles owner and operator of the business is happy to have a place where people can gather.

Jill Broyles, owner and operator of the Table Rock Tavern, said this bar top was the creative work of the contractor whom she worked with for nearly a year, Joe VanTrump.

Jill Broyles, owner and operator of the Table Rock Tavern, along side her son, Adam Cook, and daughter, Alex Cook, who help her run the business.

said. “We had some really big projects happening, and some smaller things that I wanted to be able to manage. I wanted to help guide the contractor.”

Jill said Joe, the contractor, was also fantastic to work with.

“He built the bar top,” she said. “It was like a baby to him, he is very creative.”

After all the building, Jill said the best part about the Table Rock Tavern is watching relationships being built.

“I have seen friendships built here,” she said. “I hope that I am filling a need in the community, and this is a place people can always come to build friendships and relationships.”

Jill has a master’s degree in aging studies, which is what she had made a career out of. But, she bartended in her early 20s.

“Because of COVID, the government made my line of work not much fun,” she said. “I had to lock the doors, and I couldn’t let people be with their families. There was a need in the Shell Knob area, and I am excited to be a part of the solution.”

Jill operates the Table Rock Tavern alongside her son, Adam, and daughter, Alex, and one other employee, Brooke, who is from Cassville.

“I am hoping to add more people during the tourist season,” she said. “We have a small hometown family feel, and we are invested in the local community and businesses. The tourist community will help, but the locals are what really drive a business.”

The sports bar feel is exactly what Jill envisioned.

“We have a real simple bar food

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J.B., Jill Broyles’ dog, has become a welcome face by patrons in the tavern since its opening in December 2021.

menu,” she said. “Burgers, fries, onion rings, mushrooms, that kind of thing. I wanted to focus on a bar that serves food, instead of a restaurant that has a bar.”

Jill feels like that is something that helps set the Table Rock Tavern apart from other local businesses.

“We are a clean, non-smoking, family establishment,” she said. “We aren’t a chain. The bar is full scale with a big variety. People really wanted non-smoking, that was a big part of the comments on the post I made.”

Jill said there is not really any competition with other local places. Everyone just kind of does their own thing.

“This is fun for me, I enjoy it,” Jill said. “I also enjoy fishing, and my dog, J.B.”

J.B. has become a patron of the Tavern himself.

Table Rock Tavern is currently closed on Tuesdays, but open at 11 a.m. the rest of the week. People can follow their Facebook page at Table Rock Tavern. n

What does supporting someone with Autism look like?

April is Autism Awareness Month which means, it’s a great time to get out there and support friends and families who may have a child who is on the Autism spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a range of behaviors that can be identified as challenges with social skills, speech, repetitive behaviors and non-verbal communication.

by Meagan Ruffing

ASK IF THEY NEED ANYTHING. Families with children who are on the spectrum can feel overwhelmed a lot of the time. Things that may be easy for you, are incredibly difficult for parents raising a child who faces daily challenges. Some of these challenges can be ones that no one outside of the home even knows about. Such as, getting their child ready for school in the morning. Children on the spectrum crave routine. If something in their routine is off, this can throw the whole morning off. Simply asking a parent, “What can I do to help you today?” is a great place to start.

UNDERSTAND THAT

CHILDREN ON THE SPECTRUM MAY DO THINGS DIFFER-

ENTLY AND THERE IS PROBABLY A REASON FOR THAT. For example, maybe you see a kid who is headed to school in the middle of winter and they’re wearing a T-shirt and shorts. I have seen parents ridicule other parents for allowing their children to wear this. What that parent might not know though is that that child may have some sort of sensory aversion to certain fabric going over their arms and legs. Understanding that something you see may have an entire story behind it, is a great place to start with being aware. TAKE TIME TO GET T TO KNOW THEIR CHILD. One of the coolest and kindest things you can do is get to know him or her. This helps the family feel included and accepted. Getting to know someone’s child is showing that you care. A lot of these kids are into really neat hobbies and are mini-experts on whatever their specific interest is (dinosaurs, a certain movie, etc.). You may just learn something from them! INVITE THEM TO PLAYDATES. This is a big one. A lot of families who have a child on the spectrum can get left out because their child is ‘different’ than other children. It is hurtful to be left out. Use playdates as an opportunity to teach your own kids about including everyone and not just including them to say you did, but including them because it’s fun to have a variety of people to play with. STIMMING IS A WAY THAT CHILDREN WITH AUTISM MAKE SENSE OF THEIR OUTSIDE WORLD.

They do repetitive movements A or make noises that help them feel calm. This could be rocking back and forth, moaning, saying a word or phrase over and over again, or making continual noises. Sometimes this can come off in school as a child who is trying to disrupt the class; especially if this person is high-functioning and their Autism is only known by the family. If your children see a child who is stimming, whether it be at school or when you’re out running errands, take them to the side and teach them what that means. Staring at someone who is stimming can be incredibly uncomfortable and rude. MINDFUL. Be mindful of families with U children on the spectrum when things go differently. These kids want to be included, loved on, and accepted just like everyone else. If you have plans to meet up at a certain time and the parent calls to let you know things went south and she needs to reschedule, be mindful of how you respond. This parent is probably already feeling so stressed out that they can’t follow through with their plans so your gentle response may be just what that parent needs to hear.

I M S Parenting journalist Meagan Ruffing loves helping families who have children on the spectrum. She enjoys getting to know the Find ways to be more aware of those around you. You may know someone who has a child on the spectrum or maybe that family is yours. unique needs these families have and finding fun ways to serve them. If no one has told you lately, you’re doing a great job. ConnectionMO.com/ParentingColumn | Connection Magazine | 37