by G.V. Carlsson

A story that starts in seventeenth-century England, then crosses paths with one of today’s top country musical artists and ends with new life breathed into a classic landmark is certainly one that calls for a big, cozy chair, a mug of everyone’s favorite hot beverage, and a bowl of popcorn!

In 1654, a man named James Tugwell immigrated from England to the Virginia Colony. There, he lived in Lancaster County before finally receiving a land patent. He then settled in Middlesex County with his wife, Mary. The two of them made a home in Middlesex and raised their family.

Fast-forward over a hundred years and the Tugwell family had since become the Tuggle family, and the descendants of James and Mary had done well for themselves. The family owned several hundred acres of land in what eventually became Patrick County. On that land was a particularly beautiful spot surrounding Rockcastle Creek. This area became known as Tuggle’s Gap, and it is still known by that name to this very day.

In the 1930’s, when plans were made for the National Park Service to build a scenic parkway through parts of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina, General Washington Boyd and Ward Spangler decided to build a gas station and store to serve travelers on what would soon become the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1938. The next generation of the Boyd family added a restaurant and motel to the property, and it came to be known as Tuggle’s Gap Restaurant and Motel. The owners moved in, to better run Tuggle’s Gap, raising their family in the apartment below the restaurant.

Throughout the 50’s and 60’s, Tuggle’s Gap Restaurant and Motel became a popular spot for Parkway travelers wanting to get a bite to eat and rest easy amid the stunning scenery. After nearly fifty years and several more generations running the property, the Spangler family sold it in 1985. It was then sold again in 1992 to Neil Baker, who was joined by her daughter Cheri.

Both women brought with them many years of restaurant experience, as well as Southwest flavors from Neil’s time in New Mexico. When Neil retired in the early 2000’s, Cheri took the reins, continuing in her mother’s footsteps by providing quality food and lodging at Tuggle’s Gap.

A commonly seen face, and occasional employee at Tuggle’s Gap during Cheri’s tenure, was a young Morgan Wade. Morgan’s album, “Reckless”, was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as the Best Country and Americana Album of 2021.
The same year Morgan received this honor, Cheri was ready to follow once again in her mother’s footsteps. She, too, was ready to retire. After spending some time trying to find the right buyer, Cheri eventually ran into Nick Bieneck. As it turned out, Nick already had a history with Tuggle’s Gap, as well as Floyd itself! Having worked as a stage manager for twelve years at FloydFest, Nick and his family had often stayed at Tuggle’s Gap during visits to the music and arts festival.

When Nick found out that Tuggle’s Gap Restaurant and Motel was for sale, he convinced his recently retired father, Bjorn, to join him in taking on the task of bringing new vision and life to the iconic location. Nick has had a long career in hospitality, working both in front and back of the house. His extensive history also includes management in foodservice, hotels, and hostels in both the United States and Europe. Nick possesses a unique and diverse background that makes him the ideal candidate for running the day-to-day operations at Tuggle’s Gap.  (From Left to Right: Kailash Patel, Gudu Vishnu, Bobbijo Roberts, Katelyn Barbour, and Nick Bieneck).

Bjorn, who had already been looking for a new challenge, brings over fifty years of experience in the international trade show and event industry. Through his involvement in tourism and promotion, Bjorn is promoting Floyd, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Tuggle’s Gap to local, national, and even international audiences. Though he lives in Fredericksburg, Bjorn also visits the property frequently to help keep things running smoothly.

The Bienecks took possession of Tuggle’s Gap in late 2021, renamed it Tuggle’s Gap Roadside Inn, and immediately started complete renovations and updates. They opened in November with a whole new menu focused on local suppliers and home-style cooking. Though they were originally open for just breakfast on weekends, Tuggle’s Gap Roadside Inn soon expanded to offer lunch and dinner throughout the 2021 holidays. Even with the expanded hours, there were still many times when guests were waiting for tables!

In early 2022, the restaurant closed again for a few months to give the father-son team time to focus on renovating the ten guest rooms. The newly upgraded rooms feature many modern-day comforts while keeping as much of the vintage motel charm as possible. With the façade of a classic roadside motel, the bright new rooms include new beds, completely renovated bathrooms, newly installed heating and air conditioning, dedicated high-speed Wi-Fi access points and ethernet ports, as well as a number of other upgrades.

Simple country cooking with fresh, local ingredients is the guiding principle behind the new menu at Tuggle’s Gap. The restaurant serves breakfast all day, as well as burgers made with local beef raised in Floyd. There are even apples grown just a few hundred feet from the property at Wade’s Orchards. In addition to all the great new items, longtime fans will be happy to know that the restaurant menu will be keeping classic Tuggle’s Gap dishes that have been passed down from previous owners. These include the famous Tuggle’s Gap Pie, Southern Style Pinto Beans with Cornbread, and Pan-Fried Chicken. Some early customer favorites have been the hand-breaded onion rings and the revamped biscuits and gravy which some locals have even dubbed “the best in the county!”

The original 1930’s section of the main building was returned to being a country store with outdoor and camping supplies, kids toys, beer, wine, vintage and hard-to-find soft drinks, snacks, and grab-n-go prepared foods ready for a picnic along the Parkway. Decorating the walls of the store, as well as the restaurant, is antique signage, original to the property, that was found during the renovations.

The Bienecks also plan to renovate and reopen the deck, adding more outdoor seating around the restaurant to offer customers a more relaxed spot to enjoy some light food and occasional live music. From the deck, guests can also take in the breathtaking scenery while sipping on a ‘red eye’; a local favorite cocktail with a base of beer and tomato juice.

Across the property from the restaurant is another food service venue that previously served as an ice cream parlor. This will be expanded to serve beer and wine, prepared foods from the restaurant, as well as classic ice cream-based treats on the large deck overlooking the mountains.

The Bienecks also plan to renovate the vintage gas pumps that greet visitors outside. They will be bringing the pumps, as well as their state-of-the-art storage tanks, back into service as one of the ever-fewer independent gas providers in the country.

The entire Bieneck family contributes to the newly renovated Tuggle’s Gap, boasting a combined century-and-more of experience in multiple sectors of the events industry. Nick’s mother, brother, sister, and brother-in-law are all providing their unique expertise in the development of the property, using their knowledge to plan everything from weekly Bluegrass Brunches, to visiting musicians, to multi-day festivals celebrating the culture and nature of the region.

“We’ve done a lot of upgrading and restoring around here, but the primary thing we wanted to keep intact is the character of Tuggle’s Gap,” says Nick. “It is a classic America roadside joint from the early days of 20th century road trip culture.”

Tuggle’s Gap Roadside Inn has partnered with the Floyd Tourism Office and Cycle Floyd to have a custom bike rack and bike tools installed on the property for anyone to use. Tuggle’s Gap also features a newly printed map of the region with information about local sites and landmarks for visitors seeking hiking, biking, or scenic driving destinations.

“It has been a lot of work, but we are proud of our vision for Tuggle’s Gap Roadside Inn,” says Bjorn. “Going forward, continuing the legacy of this being a family-run property for visitors and locals alike.” Tuggle’s Gap has not only long served as a rest and refuel spot for travelers along the Blueridge Parkway. It has also been a gathering place for locals celebrating unique events, having a great meal, or just enjoying a fresh-brewed cup of Tuggle’s Gap custom blended coffee while having a slice of pie and a chat with neighbors.

Tuggle’s Gap Roadside Inn is located at 3351 Parkway Lane S. in Floyd. For more information and reservations, visit tugglesgap.com or email info@tugglesgap.com. To keep up with the latest hours, menus, events, and news, follow them on social media: Facebook – facebook.com/TugglesGap or Instagram – @tugglesgap.

Tuggle’s Gap Roadside Inn • Nick Bieneck
3351 Parkway Lane Sout, Floyd, VA
TugglesGap.com • info@tugglesgap.com
facebook.com/TugglesGap