“We’re actually the oldest running bar
in Mineral Wells.”
Taylor Oliver, Manager
It’s one thing to serve customers, but it’s rare to serve them as if they are family. Woody’s Bar and Grill is proud to say they have done that for nearly seventy years. This has been a great place to go for burgers, pool, and community spirit for as long as I can remember. Woody’s is an integral part of the Mineral Wells native experience.
Woody’s opened their doors directly across the street from their current location on US-180, just over the Palo Pinto/Parker county line in 1951. In 1951 Parker County was dry so Woody’s chose to locate on the county line in Palo Pinto county. It made Woody’s the place to go for trainees from Fort Wolters. This gave soldiers a place to come relax, and drink, after a long day. Woody’s honors vets to this day by offering them a discount when they come to eat.
Woody Balch bought the bar and moved it to its current location at 6105 US-180, Mineral Wells, TX 76067. Roney Glanton and Philip Bleakney , the current owners, bought the business in 2010. Taylor Oliver, the current manager loves working for Roney and Philip, and speaks highly of them. Oliver says, “They bought the business in 2010. That’s actually two weeks before I started, so I’ve had them the entire time. Thank goodness. They’ve been a blessing to me.”
Woody’s is well known for its famous burgers. The story goes that Woody was always told he had the best burgers in the state, so he ran with it. In today’s time, social media has made the buzz go so much further than he would have imagined. Woody’s has been listed in magazines such as Readers Choice as well as many top food lists across the state. Taylor notes, “Chapman has traced a chow-down list. He’s listed us as one of the best burgers, I believe more than one year in a row.”
But it’s not only burgers that keep the people coming. Woody’s also has something that you can’t find anywhere else. They have an appetizer that has taste buds watering called Chips and Peppers. These are so good that they sell them by the gallon.
This business has thrived over the decades because they understand the importance of a good staff. Taylor gives a couple of critical insights on how to be successful. “I would say, the staff is a huge, huge part of it. And I think that’s kind of what we’ve always had going for us is the combination. It takes a lot to run a business, and it takes a lot to keep everybody happy. I try to keep all the girls happy that work for me. The patrons, on the other hand, it’s the bar business and real business. It’s not always, ‘the customer’s always right’. So sometimes that’s hard to get across. But it’s fun.”
Since COVID-19 reared its ugly head many businesses have suffered because of the measures taken to blunt the pandemic. But Woody’s has found a way to be successful despite the many challenges dealing with this pandemic has presented. In fact, on the very day they were required to stop inside dining because of the mandated statewide shutdown, Taylor Oliver had a take-out window installed. This has actually resulted in more business and new customers.
Woody’s menu has changed very little over the years. Sweet tea has been added to the drinks menu and now you can get bacon on your burger. Oh yeah, bacon! There are plans to add a cover to the patio to make outdoor dining more comfortable. No other changes are planned. Taylor says “Basically it’s an ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ kind of situation.”
What keeps Taylor coming back to work every day is a beautiful story she shares, “There was one day. I won’t ever forget it because it really clicked as to how important Woody’s was to so many people. In so many different aspects.”… “So we had the layoff group of guys that were trying to get their life together. We had the people celebrating the life of a family member. And then we had somebody celebrating a birthday. It was just literally the whole spectrum. That’s why I love it. I get asked a lot. ‘Why are you still here? How do you love doing this every day? How do you like doing the same thing every day?’ It’s not (the same thing). You never know what you’re going to get, what you’re going to walk into, what business is going to be like. What the patrons are going to be like. I’ve worked hard on the reputation and to keep it where it is. We’re actually the oldest running bar in Mineral Wells.”
Taylor Oliver is honored to be the manager of Woody’s and glad to be a long time member of this community. She is excited to get to see what Mineral Wells transforms into in the coming years. Taylor says “It’s got a lot of working parts, but everybody’s keeping all of the parts moving. Especially over these last few years with the Baker coming back–downtown is thriving. There’s a lot of people that are involved in this. And so it takes a lot of moving parts to make it all successful. And so far they’re doing a heck of a job. I’m super proud of it”
Writer | I graduated from Weatherford College with an Associates in Art, focusing on history, creative writings, sociology, and humanities. Experience in child development, client care, and runs local Spoken Word Poetry group for young teens.