The South meets the West-Chaney Landers Hankins and Don Alan Hankins share their story of their new business in town in this entry of #Humansofjhchamber
Thirty minutes is hardly enough time to make a good new friend, but it can happen. And when it does, you know it right away. During a tour of StillWest Brewery & Grill, my co-worker, Cecilie and I met owners Chaney Landers Hankins and Don Alan Hankins.
For months, the entire valley has been watching a mysterious building being built on Snow King, directly across from the town hill. It wasn’t until recently that it really started to show some beautiful character – rock walls, warm
yellow lighting, lounge furniture on the second floor outside patio, then we began wonder wondering what the inside would hold…
Chaney and Don Alan attended high school together but went separate ways and lost contact for 28 years. No stranger to the area, Chaney has spent the last 20 or so years visiting Jackson Hole. When Chaney and Don Alan crossed paths five years ago, they began to visit Jackson together.
It took no time at all to realize they wanted to move to the area full time and started to look for ways to make that dream a reality. A year and a half ago, the two were married at Lynn Canyon Ranch in Victor and are now making it happen. Standing in the main restaurant of StillWest Brewery & Grill restaurant which has 22 bar seats and 100 seats in the dining room, Chaney mentioned, “The original vision was for a small brewery housing 40 seats or so,” immediately followed by a laugh.
Don Alan is a brew master by trade and is the mastermind behind all 10 barrels of beer made inhouse, behind glass for all to view. “We always sit at the bar when we go to a restaurant. That’s why our bar is the epicenter of StillWest. Every guest will have a view of the 10-barrel beauty and StillWest brewers in action. The current beers on tap include Kolsch, Red Ale, Belgian Strong, American Red Ale, Porter, Double IPA and Bavarian Pilsner. If you’re not a beer lover, have no fear. StillWest has an extensive wine list and a full bar equipped with delicious, thoughtfully made cocktails.
Chaney and an interior design firm out of Nashville, Anderson Design Studio, designed the whole restaurant, inspired by the phrase, “the South meets the West”. Large raw beams emphasize the bar ceiling while photos of old barns dress the rich blue-green walls. There is a photo of a barn Chaney drove past every day for years on the way to her horse farm outside Franklin, Tennessee. “The artwork adds a homey aspect to it for me,” Chaney noted. Large metal piping displays the beers on tap and the bar stools…you’ve got to sit in the barstools. “We’re bar people – we always go straight to the bar and you can’t have a good bar without good barstools.”
Another very cool aspect of the restaurant is the open-air dining area. Floor to ceiling glass doors slide open to expose a direct view of Snow King Mountain, equipped with seating for 58. Lounge chairs and couches are paired with fire pits; vertical heaters and cozy blankets will be available during the colder months. There’s also a private dining section to be used for parties.
Their menu is also inspired by “the south meets the west”. “Our head chef went to culinary school in Oregon and has many Montana culinary ties, though is originally from the south. How could we not have a southern twist?” The lunch menu has a selection of salads and classic items like burgers. Dinner offers dishes like halibut, steak and their famous rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes. To view the full menu, click here. In addition to lunch and
dinner, they will serve bar bites, including items like pimento cheese and fried chicken sandwiches. Bar bites will be available all day long, with lunch starting at 11:00 am and dinner beginning at 5:00 pm. “On Sundays, we are trying to have a big, fun Jazz Brunch with blood orange mimosas and Bloody Mary’s,” Chaney said. They are excited about football season too – with 3 large TV screens throughout the building. Don Alan is a University of Alabama football fan and Chaney is an Auburn fan – two longtime rival schools. They both grinned at each other when the topic of football came up, laughing about a house divided team.
In the lower level of the building there will be a coffee shop with daily made breakfast biscuits, cold-pressed juices, coffees. “We want it to be a quick grab and go for people that live in and around the neighborhood. We’re excited about the neighborhood scene and want to have a quiet spot where folks can run in on their way to work.”
“We’re feeling really grateful for all of our employees. We’re a family around here and we’re excited to be here,” said Don Alan.
This article has been edited for length and clarity.
To learn more about StillWest's hours of operation, view menus, and get directions, click here.
This story is a part of #humansofjhchamber: The campaign places a focus on the faces of our local businesses and nonprofits. Learn about their inspirations, why they got started in their industry, and more! Find the Chamber on Instagram, @jhchamber. For information about the program, please contact Director of Membership, Elisabeth Rohrbach, elisabeth@jacksonholechamber.com or 307.201.2301.
Written by Operations Manager, Riley Frances Boone.