Dresden’s Depot barbecue restaurant closes

DRESDEN – Long a favorite of the Dresden community, the Depot Smokehouse, Restaurant and Pub officially closed its doors Monday.

Owner Rick Spragg made the announcement with a post on his personal Facebook page Aug. 24, which was then shared via the Depot’s public profile.

It is uncertain the reason behind the restaurant’s closing. Spragg could not be reached for comment Monday.

A Facebook comment from the Depot on the closure announcement said the restaurant was closing due to “not enough business.” The page administrator also commented saying the owners are “not sure what the future holds for us.”

The building was first the Railroad House Cafe, then the Hamilton House, before becoming the Depot thereafter. Spragg and his wife Sherry purchased the Depot in 2008.

Melissa Stout, who worked in the building housing the Depot on and off since 1996, said she cherished the Spraggs.

“I had customers who I used to cut their pancakes and now I pour their beers,” Stout said.

With the Depot’s closure, the number of places to eat in Dresden has dipped to seven within village limits. Dari Twist, Scottie’s Den, Creno’s Pizza, Lewy’s Pizzeria, Cafe Kiosk, Subway and McDonalds remain.

“(The Depot) is an iconic place in Dresden and, hopefully, something can come in and fill the void,” said Steve Wilson, president of the Dresden Community Association.

Wilson said he is unsure of the potential economic impact of the restaurant’s closing.

Stout thinks the loss of the Depot is the loss of a major gathering place for the community and those who visit Dresden every year.

“(The Depot) is where you come to see old friends and where you come to find new friends,” she said.

The Times Recorder featured the Depot in May as a part of its weekly Neighborhood Fare series. At the time, Spragg said the restaurant could go through as much as 200 pounds of pork, 200 pounds of brisket and 400 pounds of ribs in a single week.

“I consider us Muskingum County’s best-kept secret,” Spragg said. “We have people come from all over.”

In addition to its primary location at East Ninth Street, the Depot also operated the Depot Airport Grill at the Richard Downing Airport in Coshocton, which closed in late September of last year.

Restaurant patrons poured out support on the Depot Facebook page throughout the day Monday, offering messages of sadness and well wishes.

bparks2@gannett.com

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Twitter: @Bradley_W_Parks