Shop manager Mar Kuhnel
tuning a bike at Ranch Camp The driveway that leads to Ranch Camp in Stowe is steep, gravelly and curved. In other words, just right for a mountain bike. Mountain bikers are, in fact, the target audience for this hybrid business on the Mountain Road. In the brown building at the top of the driveway are three ventures rolled into one: bicycle store, repair shop and restaurant. The store offers sales and rentals of mountain bikes, along with accompanying gear and goods such as jerseys, helmets, power bars and tire sealant. At the shop, bike mechanics do annual tune-ups and repairs, including brake adjustments, shock service and flat fixes.
The Backyard Tavern has been a Stowe landmark for a quarter century, providing an after hours haven for locals and visitors since the mid-90s. On Nov. 20, the Backyard officially changed hands, and has been taken over by the same creative team behind Ranch Camp, a combination bike shop and fast casual-eatery located across the parking lot from the Backyard.
While it looks like the Backyard will undergo a bit of a facelift, the new owners will retain many of its core attributes, albeit with a few tweaks.
âWeâre pretty fired up on this spot. We love the open floor plan inside, and the outdoor bar and covered patio are right at the base of Charlieâs trail, which accesses Cady hill,â said Nate Freund, co-owner of the Backyard and Ranch Camp. âWe fully intend to preserve what makes the Backyard such a special place, but weâll put our own touch on it, adding a full menu and beefing up the beer and cocktail offerings as well.â