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For more than five decades, The Cow Shed Motel and Restaurant has been a pillar of the Pineville, West Virginia, community. With its variety of home-cooked meals and quality lodging, The Cow Shed Motel and Restaurant is a popular destination for locals, tourists and ATV enthusiasts alike.
Chris Mullins, whose family purchased the motel in the 1960s, also owns Fox’s Pizza Den, a staple and regional go-to for pizza, strombolis, hand-crafted salads and sandwiches. Mullins, a Wyoming County native, has spent the last 35 years involved in his family’s businesses.
Regulars might describe the restaurants as “comfort food in a comfortable setting,” Mullins noted.
“We have everything a traveler or trail rider or working man may need, and a large parking lot to accommodate large trucks and trailers.” Mullins said. “Breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily and 32 rooms. We’re conveniently located directly beside Family Dollar.”
Nearly a year ago, when the coronavirus pandemic struck in March 2020, Mullins said both of the family businesses struggled as they learned to navigate new COVID-19-related protocols.
“We shut down for a few days, then reopened to carryout only,” Mullins said. “The motel was completely shut down. It was rather devastating to lose all but a small bit of income so immediately.”
With some assistance from the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority, Mullins said the businesses were able to secure Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans, which enabled them to retain their staff and continue funding their salaries. Altogether, the businesses have 12 employees.
Mullins credited Christy Laxton, executive director of the Wyoming County EDA, for her role in helping The Cow Shed Motel and Restaurant and Fox’s Pizza Den find stable ground during the tumultuous time.
“Christy Laxton has been a fantastic help to all Wyoming County businesses,” Mullins said. “We are blessed to have her working with us.”
Mullins hopes that the upcoming ATV season will help the businesses as they continue to recover financially.
For new and recurring visitors, Mullins recommends ordering Fox’s Pizza Den’s “wedgies,” which are sandwiches baked on pizza crust and folded in half to make a customized sandwich.
