With one arm around Bob Timberlake (far left), Chetola co-owner Greg Tarbutton holds one end of the ceremonial ribbon and Dustin Coffey holds the other while Fly Fishing Manager Morgan Tarbutton wields the oversize scissors to do the honors on April 7, celebrating the opening of The Wading Room inside Chetola Lodge.
BLOWING ROCK — Chetola Resort is not taking a back seat to anyone in 2022 when it comes to a play on words. While “waiting” in the lodge for their respective fly-fishing expeditions to begin, Chetola patrons can spend their time in “The Wading Room,” appropriately named for not just the moment but for the theme of the day’s outing, too. Chetola executives and employees joined numerous Blowing Rock business and civic leaders to celebrate The Wading Room’s grand opening on April 7.
According to fly fishing manager Morgan Tarbutton, Chetola is the first Orvis®-endorsed fly fishing lodge in North Carolina as well as the professional home of Orvis®-certified fishing guide Dustin Coffey.
What else would you find in a fly-fishing shop like The Wading Room at Chetola than ‘flies’? The grand opening of the resort’s new retail space was celebrated on April 7.
In a word, The Wading Room is cozy. Around the perimeter are racks, stacks and shelves of fly-fishing gear and apparel perfect for wading in a river to catch a big one, but in the center is an open-pit fireplace surrounded by leather sofas and chairs for… well, for waiting in relative luxury. The shop also sells lattes, macchiatos, espresso or a warm mug of coffee, but guests can also order food from the pub menu.
Have a business idea? The back portion of the room has a pull-down projection screen and video monitors because the room is also available for private meetings and events.
Chetola co-owner Greg Tarbutton, center, credited fly fishing manager Morgan Tarbutton and Orvis-certified professional fly fishing guide Dustin Coffey for doing yeoman’s work in getting The Wading Room fly fishing shop developed during ribbon cutting ceremonies on April 7.
Addressing the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce crowd before the ceremonial red ribbon was cut to mark the grand opening, co-owner Greg Tarbutton said, “We’ve built a world-class trout fishing program here at Chetola. What we lacked was a world class fly-fishing shop featuring Orvis® products. Thanks to the hard work of these two people beside me, Dustin Coffey and Morgan Tarbutton, and the design skills of Dawn Pearson, we have achieved that vision. The space is comfortable and captures Chetola’s historic, mountain vibe. Dustin and Morgan have outfitted the fly shop with everything an angler needs for a great day on the water. Women will be as delighted by our offerings just as much as the gents.”
There is plenty of Orvis-branded fly-fishing gear and apparel inside The Wading Room at Chetola Resort, as seen here on April 7 during the ribbon cutting.
The grand opening drew a good crowd of area business and civic leaders, including Chamber of Commerce executives Charles Hardin, Cathy Barker and Suzy Barker. Town Manager Shane Fox was on hand, as well as Doug Matheson, Melissa Pickett and Pete Gherini, all members of the Board of Commissioners, and Mayor Charlie Sellers
A couple of special visits to the celebration were by Bob Timberlake, the namesake of Chetola’s adjacent, The Bob Timberlake Inn, and co-owner Kent Tarbutton, who was looking fit after more than a year battling a health issue.
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