2021 wasn’t a great time to buy a restaurant, but it was the right time for Shelly and Gabe Sterling.
Since then, the owners of the Shortstop Inn in downtown Wakarusa haven’t looked back, through the ups and downs of being small business owners.
Between their love of the Wakarusa community and the support they’ve earned from their neighbors, the Shortstop Inn is going as strong as ever providing a hangout and place for the family to dine in this small town along the Heritage Trail.
Shelly and Gabe were ready for something new in 2021. “So why not try to do something within the town that you live?” Shelly said.
They left behind their careers - Shelly at Notre Dame and Gabe in the RV industry - to dive into the restaurant business … just as the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging through the U.S.
“There is no handbook that tells you how to run a small business,” said Shelly. She leaned on experience that she gained earlier in her career in food service management, as well as friends and family with expertise.
The Sterlings revamped the dining room and bar, converting the restaurant on Waterford Street to a no-smoking venue. One corner was cleared out to create space for live music acts. Outdoor dining along the busy sidewalk, and a new rear patio, add to the inviting places to sit down for a burger and a beer.
The Sterlings are fully invested in the Wakarusa community. It’s where Gabe grew up and where he and Shelly made a home for themselves.
Shelly has become active in the downtown business community and, working with town officials, has started hosting popular outdoor concerts on the street in front of their restaurant.
When Gabe and Shelly welcome their customers - especially the ones who rallied to their side in the early days, they see family.
It’s fitting, since Gabe’s family used to enjoy singing karaoke at the old Shortstop Inn. Now karaoke nights are up to them.
“It’s kind of an emotional thing for me,” said Gabe.
