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03/30/2006: "Uncle Mikey turns bait shop into smokin' joint"

With a soft southern accent, Mike Guthrie talked excitedly about his new venture on the Missouri River, Uncle Mikey’s Trading Post.
Formerly the Dam Bait Shop on U.S. Hwy 121, east of Gavins Point Dam, Guthrie purchased the building and premises of the demised business in October on an auction.
“I was here helping a friend move into the area and drove past the place,” Guthrie said. “I couldn’t believe it was for sale and at an auction.” Guthrie and 5-year-old son were looking to relocate after the loss of wife and mother.

Guthrie was impressed with the people he met in the area. They made him and his son feel at home and found them to be friendly, ‘good folk.’ He decided this might be a place they could ‘dig in’ – call home.
Although Uncle Mikey has a master’s degree in social work and is licensed in a couple of states, he has decided to fall back on a skill he fine-tuned on a riverboat as a cook and also at a Hard Rock Café.
But it is a skill area people will have to adjust to.
You see, Guthrie is a Southerner and an expert at cooking Cajun and Tex Mex dishes. He is most recently from Oklahoma and has spent time in Texas so southern cooking is his specialty.
“I have to back off (my cooking) a couple of degrees,” said Guthrie as he has found it too hot to please the local Midwesterners. “Many times I have had people ask me to make them sweat.” But not in the Crofton area - yet.
A huge red smoker sits to the west of his newly painted building. In it he works his BBQ magic. About 1/3 of the menu right now is BBQ and that is about all he can handle right now with the size kitchen he has and eating area. If things go well, that will change.
“There is plenty of room to add on and make a nice eating area,” Uncle Mikey said. He is encouraged by a measurable increase in his business since opening in December. The first few weeks they were serving 5-6 breakfasts, lunches or carryouts. Now they prepare 35-40 meals a day.
Some new menu items include biscuits and the every popular Okra.
“It’s catching on,” Uncle Mikey laughed. He will also look at preparing large orders as his smoker can handle 700 lbs. of ribs at one time. He also cooks pork shoulders and makes a pulled BBQ meat sandwich as a menu item. Smoked and BBQ buffalo have also crossed his pit. But for supper that night, shrimp on a stick was part of the menu for his brother Bill, Guthrie and son.
Brother Bill moved to Nebraska from Oregon when he heard of Mike’s newly acquired business. Bill decided he needed to check the situation out and give his seal of approval. He was also so impressed, he stayed and now is a mainstay in the business. When the purchase went through and the building needed a good cleaning, Bill was there. New coats of paint spruced up the walls of the once defunct bait shop as he wielded his paint brush.
In his spare time, Guthrie may consider having his social work license transferred to the state. He has participated in research studies, grant work and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs in other states. In Texas, he was an overseer in a clinical situation.
“I would like to work with the area judicial system to set up some non-violent rehabilitation programs,” Guthrie said. “I have seen success in other states with programs which recycle the offender into the community and utilize the community members as correctional workers – keeping an eye on the offender and supporting him with a job and guidance.”
Guthrie has seen success in some of his previous employment where an alcohol user is placed in the community and the community keeps track of the person – where he is, should he be there, where should he be and reminders to keep in line.
Mikey’s son will be a kindergartner next fall and it is time to put down roots. Hopefully they will be successful buying a house in the area they are looking at. Uncle Mikey’s Trading Post was a proud supporter of the recent Crofton girls basketball team at state and looks forward to having his son going to school there.
Uncle Mikey’s Trading Post is open for business. He is applying for a beer license, has had T-shirts printed with his slogan, ‘Smoking up the Missouri’ for his country store and, oh yeah, Uncle Mikey’s Trading Post still sells bait.