Rohlmeier finding success at Roadhouse

By Phil Cobb | July 28, 2017 |

TOM PINNEY/DAILY FORUM
Highway 136 Roadhouse owner Matt Rohlmeier poses next to a wall in his restaurant. Rohlmeier, who works for the State of Iowa at the Clarinda Correctional Facility, purchased the Roadhouse in October of 2015.

Running a business can be hard. Doing so while also working a day job is harder.

But Matt Rohlmeier doesn’t care.

Rohlmeier works at the Clarinda (Iowa) Correctional Facility during the day, and by night, he is the owner of Burlington Junction’s Highway 136 Roadhouse.

He said business is pretty good.

“We have a pretty steady flow of business most of the time, and as you could probably expect, we’re a bit slow in winter,” Rohlmeier said. “We’re also slow in the middle of summer, when people are usually out on vacations and doing other things.

“Once school comes closer and gets back in session, we’ll pick back up pretty quickly. Sometimes, that’s just the way things work.”

Rohlmeier said running a business in Burlington Junction can be challenging, but rewarding.

“We don’t have the traffic of bigger towns,” Rohlmeier said. “But we do have a pretty loyal customer base right here in Burlington Junction.

“It’s best to get people to support your business locally. Some of my best advertising is by word of mouth from regulars telling their friends about the Roadhouse and getting them to come out.”

The Roadhouse is set up much like a bar and grill atmosphere, with a full menu of burgers, sandwiches, and all-you-can-eat shrimp on Fridays for $10 a plate. Rohlmeier said there were also occasional deals customers could take advantage of, including a lunch special up for grabs three times per week.

The Roadhouse also brings in bands at least once a month on a Friday or Saturday night, mostly catering to a decisively country-western palette. In addition, Burlington Junction resident Kelli Hagey comes in on Thursdays for a dance lesson.

“We usually get a pretty good crowd for the dance nights, which start at 7 p.m. Thursdays,” Rohlmeier said. “Kelli comes in to teach classes on various dance styles, like line dancing and the two-step.

“People usually get here to eat, and then at about 7 p.m. head to the dance floor. It’s always a fun time, not to mention free, and it’s a great way to get people into the restaurant.”

If there’s anything Rohlmeier loves about owning the business – though he noted there were plenty of things to love about it – it’s meeting all of the people that come through the doors. But he also loves the fact that he owns the business in Burlington Junction.

“Having the business here helps out the town in a lot of ways,” Rohlmeier said. “There are jobs for people in the community here, and it gives people a positive place to go right here in Burlington Junction.”

But it’s no surprise the amount of commitment Rohlmeier has to the community of Burlington Junction, the community where he grew up. He graduated from West Nodaway High School in 2000 before accepting a position with the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office, moving up the ranks from jailer to dispatcher to deputy.

In 2008, Rohlmeier started at the Clarinda Correctional Facility, the job he still holds today. Rohlmeier said he hopes to be able to focus on the restaurant full-time one day.

“Someday, I’d like to go all-in on the Roadhouse,” Rohlmeier said. “It’s a great business full of friendly people and plenty of dancing.”