How Hop’s Came To Be
The idea of Hop’s Beer Rocket started in 2011 with John Haight. He dreamed of having a place at the Roadside Crag parking area, where people would gather after a day of outdoor activities to share stories and make new friends. Together the Haight family started to uncover some of the history of the parking area.
Prior to the park the Graining Block Fork railway ran through the area and what is now KY 11 (http://kykinfolk.org/wolfe/railroad.htm). The park area was first developed as part of the Lady Bird Johnson beautification initiative and the War on Poverty. Local people were hired to construct picnic tables, rock pathways, and grills. However the property was never purchased from the landowners and remained in private ownership. John Haight and Grant Stephens purchased the Roadside Crag which included the parking area.
The parking has traditionally served as access to the Roadside Crag that reopened as Graining Fork Nature Preserve. The Hop’s logo incorporates the memory of John Haight. The beer rocket is from Nodin Haight’s first design idea for a logo and name (Hop’s Beer Rocket) that he developed with his dad. John is the 3rd Haight known as Hoppy or Hop hence the name “Hop’s”.
John Haight left this planet in December of 2016. In an effort to rebuild a new life his wife, April Reefer, hoped to make the idea of a cool gather spot a reality. April Reefer spent 24 years working at Morehead State University before opening Hop's. She served as a recycling coordinator, first energy manager, and director of the Center for Environmental Education. She activitely volunteered with water quality and recreational projects. So, here we are trying to stick to our values of protecting the land and supporting the local businesses.
The idea of Hop’s Beer Rocket started in 2011 with John Haight. He dreamed of having a place at the Roadside Crag parking area, where people would gather after a day of outdoor activities to share stories and make new friends. Together the Haight family started to uncover some of the history of the parking area.
Prior to the park the Graining Block Fork railway ran through the area and what is now KY 11 (http://kykinfolk.org/wolfe/railroad.htm). The park area was first developed as part of the Lady Bird Johnson beautification initiative and the War on Poverty. Local people were hired to construct picnic tables, rock pathways, and grills. However the property was never purchased from the landowners and remained in private ownership. John Haight and Grant Stephens purchased the Roadside Crag which included the parking area.
The parking has traditionally served as access to the Roadside Crag that reopened as Graining Fork Nature Preserve. The Hop’s logo incorporates the memory of John Haight. The beer rocket is from Nodin Haight’s first design idea for a logo and name (Hop’s Beer Rocket) that he developed with his dad. John is the 3rd Haight known as Hoppy or Hop hence the name “Hop’s”.
John Haight left this planet in December of 2016. In an effort to rebuild a new life his wife, April Reefer, hoped to make the idea of a cool gather spot a reality. April Reefer spent 24 years working at Morehead State University before opening Hop's. She served as a recycling coordinator, first energy manager, and director of the Center for Environmental Education. She activitely volunteered with water quality and recreational projects. So, here we are trying to stick to our values of protecting the land and supporting the local businesses.
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