More than a bar: Wrock Bottom builds a place for everyone

By Nita Wilkinson

Staff Writer

There are businesses that fill a need, and then there are businesses that become part of the fabric of a community. For Andrea and Rodney Wrocklage, those two things have always been connected.

The couple owns several local businesses, and their family of brands includes Belle Printing, Hi-Point Graphics LLC, All-Around Awards and Four Acre Clothing Co.

They are also in the process of bringing Belle Printing, Hi-Point Graphics and All-Around Awards together under one roof in the former Examiner building, 127 E. Chillicothe Ave., Bellefontaine, creating what they envision as a convenient, one-stop shop for customers.

Wrock Bottom Bar wasn't originally part of the plan. In fact, it wasn't even on their radar until the previous owner reached out to let them know the building at 121 W. Chillicothe Ave., Bellefontaine, was for sale.

However, Wrocklages have a habit of looking for what a community needs. Before deciding to purchase the bar, they conducted a needs assessment.

What they heard was pretty simple: People wanted a place to have fun. They wanted live music and DJs, a simple menu, a place to watch a ball game, and somewhere they could gather without feeling like they had to fit a particular mold.

So the couple decided to fill that void, with Wrock Bottom, which has become much more than a place to grab a drink.

"We wanted to build a place where everyone finds something for them," Andrea said.

That philosophy shows up in the calendar. Wrock Bottom hosts karaoke and open mic nights, line dancing, crafting events, sports trivia, concerts and even speed dating. There have been food tastings, vision-board events and a self-care day called "Get Your Groom On."

They also offer video games, pool tables and multiple big-screen TVs. There is live entertainment and, perhaps just as importantly, there is room to simply sit down and be part of the crowd.

The Wrocklages wanted a place where people are comfortable and safe. Security is provided, and the business has even offered a safe-ride-home initiative at no cost to the rider. The goal is simple: create a place where people can enjoy themselves and get home safely.

But some of Andrea's favorite moments aren't the big events at all. They happen when clients from RTC come in for lunch or to watch a ball game.

"They bring a joy that is contagious," Andrea said.

It's a sentiment that seems to capture what the Wrocklages were hoping to create.

"Wrock Bottom is a family," Andrea said. "Our staff embraces community. We welcome everyone."

That welcome extends to the food, too. Much of the menu is made from scratch, including their wing sauces, beef and noodles, and chili. If something can be made in-house, they try to make it themselves. And the wings are, by far, the most popular item on the menu.

The bar's approach to beverages is just as intentional. Andrea describes Wrock Bottom as a "back to basics" bar. While there are some craft beer options, the majority of the selection leans toward domestic beer. The decision was made in part because the community already has successful establishments specializing in craft beer.

Wrock Bottom wanted to offer something different. That approach seems to be working. The bar is currently third in the state of Ohio in Garage Beer sales, behind only Kings Island and Pins Mechanical Co. Garage Beer, which is partly owned by the Kelsey Brothers, has developed a strong following as a domestic beer with a straightforward, no-frills identity. It fits Wrock Bottom.

Rodney and Andrea aren't just interested in giving people a place to have a beer. They want people to have a reason to come through the door.

That is especially evident at lunchtime. Andrea takes pride in the bar's $9.95 lunch specials, which are designed to be filling, affordable and, of course, good.

Depending on the day, customers might find pulled pork sliders with chips and a soda, or smoked chicken legs served with corn pudding, macaroni and cheese and a soda. Or something else entirely. It's the kind of meal that doesn't require a special occasion.

Maybe that is the larger point of Wrock Bottom. Community isn't always built during the big events. Sometimes it happens over a plate of wings or a group of friends singing karaoke badly enough to make everyone laugh. And sometimes it's watching a ball game, making a craft, learning to line dance or sitting at the bar and realizing that someone actually knows your name.

Andrea said the staff has embraced that sense of community, helping create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable coming back.

"Everyone is welcome at our table," she said.

That may be the best description of what Wrock Bottom Bar has become. It is a business, certainly. But it is also a gathering place, a place intentionally designed around the idea that a community needs somewhere to come together.

Sometimes, filling a community need isn't about creating something complicated. It can be as simple as opening the door, putting out a table and making sure there's a place for everyone.

Wrock Bottom Bar is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; and is family friendly until 9 p.m. ■