Claysville Store (Claysville)

We stopped at this place on our ride from St. Charles to Sedalia on a Sunday anticipating good food. We were so wrong. First, this place was busy (usually a good sign) but we were completely ignored by all the employees. Everyone in the place was friendly to each other, just not friendly to the bicyclists. I finally had to interupt someone to inquire about getting some food and I was completely shut down by the cashier. "we are busy can't you see? you will have to wait 2 hours." This was after politely waiting about 8 minutes and being ignored by every employee in the place. All we wanted was a piece of chicken or SOMETHING and a glass of water to wash it down. We had ridden about 30 miles before noon and were counting on this place for food. This place really pissed me off. CLAYSVILLE STORE SUCKS. We went down the trail 5 miles and ate at DOTTIES CAFE, she actually stayed open for us AND had two tall glasses of ice water waiting on the counter. WAY TO GO DOTTIE! I will never go to the Claysville store again, AND I will post bad reviews about it on every bike trail post I know of. Word of mouth travels fast in the biking community, too bad for you Claysville store. :(

Since this cafe is only open short hours on the weekends catering to the local Sat-night-out and the Sun-after-church crowds, they're probably doing okay with it. They might not want to rock their boat beyond that repeat clientele. I hear both of the owners have other careers during the week.

Still. the earlier post said their biscuits were great. But after reading these posts I would only stop there in 'civies.' But I probably won't ever do that either. More power to them. You did well by going to Dotties.

However, if anyone wants good fried chicken, the Trailside Cafe in Rhineland puts out a great lunch. I hear Nicks in North Jeff has great fried chicken as well. It's located on Airport Road a few blocks south of the trailhead and near the east side of the main highway. Of course, most of the other family places slong the trail put out good food, too. There's more than one chicken place on this trail! :)

I don't care how busy you are, or how much you cater to the hometown crowd. There is no excuse for rudeness. I've biked the Greenbrier River Trail in W.Va. numerous times, we stop in a small cafe in Marlinton some time the service is quick sometimes really slow but they make you feel at home and greet you with a smile.
Everyone has an "off day" but I hate simple rudeness and you can tell the difference. When I'm treated that way I make it a point to never go back and most times I'll walk out.

Todd S.,

I happen to know the owners of Claysville Store and everyone that works there. I also happen to know that the owners of Claysville Store have worked on rider's bikes, aired up their tires for them, even given them rides to Jefferson City. Also, I know the employees that work there, and know FOR FACT that they would never say that to a customer. I am sure that if you were to call the owners and tell them about this experience, they would be more than willing to send you a gift certificate so you would come back to try their place out again and realize how nice everyone is there. I'll even give you their # 636-8443

There are no better people on the KATY Trail than Mark and Laura Hooibrink, owners of the Claysville Store. The angry tone of the complainer is sicking and these fine people don't deserve such. They are so busy most days that they often turn away 50 to 75 people who haven't made reservations. There are other places to eat, if you want to settle for less, but Claysville still remains the best for food or people. If you don't come back thats fine with me.

To the folks above who, in their opinion, believe the Claysville Store "sucks". Don't be such prima donnas. You're precisely the type that give cyclists bad names. The Claysville Store serves cyclists; many times my husband and I eat there in cycle clothing after a day or an afternoon on the Trail. It's small, family run business, only open on weekends, and only for a relatively short period of time. It's become so popular that one just about has to have reservations to get in unless you hit it at just the right time. We love Dottie's, too. Chill.

When the KATY Trail was being planned the locals were against it bacause they were afraid of problems with big city folks like Todd. This incident, while rare lately, just reinforces the anti trail element. The Hooibrink family is great and their food is the best for 50-100 miles around. Grow up.

Agree with Michael, get over it. Travel involves new experiences - some better than others. We have all been slighted or had an experience not as favorable as hoped for when we venture out. To have the burning drive to sit down later and write a full criticism of a lunch encounter at at a general store should be of concern for the writer. If this was the only 'bump' on the ride then you did well. Our travels along the Katy have usually been positive, but then we always look at the bottle as 'half full'. Spring is around the corner, time to start streching and checking out the bike.

Todd made one post here almost a month ago and hasn't commented about it here again.

It appears that the ones who are not over it are those who keep trying to make sure that Todd is over it.

Maybe the Claysville Store workers were having a bad day. Maybe they are normally great people. But Todd S. is entitled to write his experience as he saw it. He also included the positive experience he had at Dotties, so he wasn't just out to bad mouth somebody. I don't think his comments were inappropriate. For all the people who criticised Todd - you are the ones that need to chill.

I rode the trail from N. Jefferson City last Sunday afternoon. I arrived at Claysville store just in time for a fried chicken dinner. It was so good and the owner stopped by to say thanks for coming and eating there. I love the place and the staff was very polite. I will return as often as I can. So if you don't like them get on down the road and let them be, we won't miss you at all.

I've gone to the Claysville store 6-7 times in the last 4 years, Mark usually stops by the table to make sure everything was right. When they are busy, he has to stay in the kitchen. I don't know how you keep people from "loving something to death"- that's what humans do. Smile. Breathe. Relax.

I have eaten at the Claysville Store a number of times. Mark and Laura Hooibrink are great folks, have great food, and its lovely atmostphere. I thing the whiner that obviously "embesslished" his/her experience should be ashamed of themselves! I have NEVER been treated rudely or disrespectfully. If you want to be poor and pitiful cause you rode 30 miles and showed up without a reservation to a place that asks you to make one in advance then you go mop up your tears with the food you should have packed your damned self!