rt in Lewisburg is under new ownership, and they are hitting the ground running. Originally opened in the early 1960s, the restaurant, lodge and event center have been a mainstay in the Lake Malone area for decades. New owners Will and Raven Dodson are ready to put their spin on this favorite local spot.
The Dodsons met 10 years ago, and have spent a lot of that decade traveling the world. The two served in the military, Will was in the Marine Corps and Raven in the Army National Guard, which took the couple to live in places like Japan and Washington D.C.
During their years of travel, Raven said they were always thinking of their dream business. With their two young daughters in tow, the Dodsons would visit tourist destinations geared toward families. “We kind of cherry-picked a lot of the ideas that we wanted to implement,” she said, noting what they enjoyed doing. “We were just dreaming and figuring it out.”
Just over two years ago, the Dodsons moved to Dunmor. Raven grew up in Muhlenberg County, and Will has family roots in Western Kentucky but is from North Carolina. They also began to plan how they could impact the Dunmor area, and bring people to Lake Malone for a family-friendly day at the lake.
The opportunity to purchase the Shady Cliff Resort came early this year. The Dodsons closed the deal on the property on May 5, and were open just 22 days later, in time for the Memorial Day holiday. “It was trial by fire,” Raven said, but they made it through the first day, and the first weekend, and now they are ready for a summer of busy lake traffic.
While this is the first restaurant the couple has owned, Raven said her father ran a barbecue spot when she was growing up, and she’s worked at a variety of restaurants in her college days. Management and training are part of her background in government work, and working with people is in her wheelhouse. “Being military, and being an officer, you’re required to be a leader,” she said.
The resort employs more than a dozen people, between the bait shop and fueling station, the restaurant, lodge and event center.
The menu features fish, hamburgers, pork nachos, and a peach cobbler a la mode. Raven said they will serve ice cream and carry some essentials in the bait shop, which will be renamed the Shady Cliff Country Store.
The Dodsons are even working with a coffee roaster in Louisville to develop their own brand of coffee for the resort.
The lodge has 24 rooms and a condo, and the couple hopes to reopen the swimming pool there later this summer. Guests often say they have a favorite room they have been coming to for years, and the Dodsons hope to make the lodge a great place to get away for a few days.
The event center sits up the hill from the restaurant, and Raven said they are already booking events in the space. A boat safety course was held there last weekend, and the Dodsons hope to be able to use the space for all sorts of events, from yoga classes to wedding receptions and everything in between.
The Shady Cliff Restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
The couple hopes to stay open year-round. Lodge bookings can be made by calling them directly.
For more information call 270-657-9580 for the restaurant or 270-657-2288 for the lodge.
