The Kosciusko and Whitley county chambers of commerce had a double ribbon-cutting for The Ole Hitchin’ Post restaurant on Friday, Aug. 12. It’s located at 109 Center St., Larwill, and is owned by Jay and Krissy Ropp. From left: Kosciusko Chamber Ambassadors Chris Plack and Scott Allison; Whitley Chamber Executive Director Jennifer Esterline; Whitley Chamber Ambassador Robert Salesman; Kosciusko Chamber Ambassador Tammy Smith; The Ole Hitchin’ Post employees Adry Jefferson, Malina Ropp and Vienna Ropp; Krissy Ropp; Kosciusko Chamber Ambassador Kaleb Schneidewent; Kosciusko Chamber Member Relations Manager Scott Wiley; and Kosciusko Chamber President and CEO Rob Parker. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

LARWILL — Krissy Ropp said what she and her husband Jay Ropp value the most are “God, our family and our country.”

They hope that is reflected in their restaurant, The Ole Hitchin’ Post.

The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce joined with the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce to have a double ribbon-cutting for the business on Friday, Aug. 12. It’s located at 109 Center St., Larwill.

The restaurant bears an overall Western theme and includes American flags and crosses as decorations.

“We’re very, very proud to be American. We’re very thankful and fortunate and think that we all need to remember that we all are,” said Krissy. “Kind of our goal is to be a place where … it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, what our differences are, (we) can come together here and just have a good time.”

The couple from Larwill bought the business in January 2021. Krissy said previously she wanted to start a bakery.

She and Jay encountered the prior owner of The Ole Hitchin’ Post while out one night. She mentioned to him her dream of starting a bakery and asked if he knew if some other buildings in Larwill were for sale.

The man then offered to sell them The Ole Hitchin’ Post.

“It just seemed like a really exciting opportunity to work for ourselves, work with our family and make some investments in our tiny, little community here,” said Krissy.

The business offers both indoor and outdoor dining. The season for the latter started April 1 and is running until the last Sunday in October. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Krissy said plans are to offer some catering afterward in November and December and then open January through March of next year for breakfast and lunch on the weekends.

The menu includes hamburgers, chicken, tenderloins, fish, macaroni salad and coleslaw. For breakfast, there’s English muffins, sausage, bacon and cheesy hash brown casserole.

She said new options are coming on the menu next week.

“I want it to sort of feel and taste like home, without the customer having to make the food and clean it up,” said Krissy of the experience she wanted to give clientele. “One of the best things for me from owning the restaurant has been the relationships that I’ve made with people. Some customers have just become such huge supporters and encouragers and just great friends in addition to just people that I might not see them outside of when they’re here, but they’re still people that I would call friends and thankful to know.”

Customers can also occasionally enjoy live music from May to August. Krissy said she tries to post who’s performing ahead of time on The Ole Hitchin’ Post’s Facebook page.

“My goal is just for people to know that we’re a place that serves fresh food. We want you to feel at home, we want you to feel valued because you are and we just want to be a place where people feel comfortable and then happy when they leave,” she said.

Live music will occasionally be at the restaurant during the summer. Performing Friday was Jessie Mae.

A look at some of the restaurant’s outdoor seating.

A glance inside The Ole Hitchin’ Post’s indoor dining section. Flags and crosses are part of the decor.