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County Club chef and co-owner Johnny Shipley.Photo by Robbie Clark
Lexington, KY - Only a few weeks after the opening of County Club, co-owner and chef Johnny Shipley appeared to be right at home. Wearing a trucker hat and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he chatted with lunchtime bar customers as he deftly mixed a salad of fresh greens, red quinoa, radishes, asparagus and homemade dressing in the open kitchen.
The restaurant, a vision between three innovative minds nearly 10 years in the making, has breathed new life into the old concrete garage in Lexington’s Northside. Built upon the concept of slow-cooked, hardwood smoked meats and locally grown produce, County Club adds a new flavor to the north end of Jefferson Street
In a year’s time, the rented building, which is owned by the West Sixth Street Brewing Company founders, was transformed into County Club by Shipley, partners Chesney Turner and her daughter, Hunter Guyon, and many other contributors.
“It’s been an ongoing conversation between all three of us for the last 10 years,” said Guyon, who considers herself the “production assistant” of the restaurant. Guyon was formerly based in California, where she did prop styling for commercials and music videos. She now assists her mother with a local interior decorating business in addition to her role at County Club.
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“This is a love affair,” Turner said. “It’s really been done on a shoestring budget. … Hunter’s dad, Scott Guyon, was the architect, and everybody has been in here with a hammer and nails working. We’ve been really fortunate with the people that have worked with us.”
The County Club building formerly served as a storage facility for various bread manufacturing companies starting in the early 1900s, but had sat empty for many years prior to being acquired by the West Sixth proprietors.
The restaurant now exudes a whimsical, industrial-like feel with tall wooden booths, long paneled windows, a chandelier hand-plucked by Guyon and Turner out of an estate sale in Virginia, a buffalo head from the original Buster’s bar, and antique-like silverware. County Club also features a front terrace patio, as well as a bocce court and outdoor movie screen set up for summer viewings.
“One of the things we always work with is memory,” added Turner of the County Club design. “A lot of the elements are from old bars or old Kentucky restaurants that have been torn down – the places we used to love to go to, like Rogers Restaurant and The Saratoga. They were so atmospheric.”
County Club is the latest in a series of businesses that have revitalized the north side of Lexington in the last few years. Guyon hopes the restaurant, which is located a few blocks north of Nick Ryan’s, Grey Goose, Wine + Market, and around the corner from West Sixth Brewing, will serve as an anchor for even more establishments to take a leap of faith by settling in the area.
“From the time I was born until I was 17, there was nothing on this corner,” said Guyon, who grew up on Sixth Street. “Seeing it develop and watching people walk up and down the streets and appreciate the north side of Lexington is so amazing.”
Shipley’s journey to County Club began the 1990s under the tutelage of John Foster, who at the time was the executive chef at Dudley’s Restaurant.
Over the years, Shipley went on to work for several other food establishments both in and outside of Lexington, including Jonathan’s at Gratz Park. In 2000, Shipley decided to “retire” from cooking and served as the head bartender and a part owner at the original Buster’s on Main Street.
When Andrea Sims and Krim Boughalem approached Shipley about becoming the founding chef at their new restaurant Table 310 in 2010, however, he couldn’t resist emerging from his culinary retirement. Helping create the menu at Table 310, which also showcases local, sustainable ingredients, awakened Shipley’s desire to eventually start his own restaurant.
Shipley’s decision to design the County Club menu around smoked meats is based on the fact it provides endless opportunities to be creative.
“I was never bound and determined to do a smoked meat joint, but it’s something I’m passionate about right now,” he explained. “Smoked meats give you an even playing field in terms of across-the-board accessibility to all types of people.”
Well, all people except vegetarians. But Shipley has compensated for that by offering daily salad specials with fresh, seasonal components, and vegan baked beans.
Shipley decided against a fancy, white tablecloth restaurant because he wanted to offer a price point that could be enjoyed by a variety of customers. Most items on the menu vary from $7 to $12, with the exception of some specials.
Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, County Club has a boutique menu comprised of two smoked meat sandwiches on bread from the local Sunrise Bakery, French Canadian-style poutine, and side dishes of French fries, heirloom beans, and cole slaw, along with varying daily specials. The restaurant serves brunch on Sunday mornings and afternoons.
County Club obtains all of its meats and produce from locally based farms, including Garey Farms in Paris and Blue Moon Farm in Richmond. Offering daily specials on its select craft beer and wine menu, it is in the process of obtaining a full liquor license.
While it’s difficult for Shipley to articulate his impressions of running County Club since the restaurant is still in its infancy, his main satisfaction stems from the interaction of transferring a quality product to the customer. But after all of his years in the industry, he knows a restaurant isn’t just about the food.
“I’ve gotten more appreciation of the entire experience – the killer beer, the great music that’s on, and the lights being at the right level,” Shipley said. “It’s not just what’s on that 12-inch piece of porcelain that’s in front of you, even though that’s the reason you’re attending. There’s a lot more to it than just that.”