Coaling’s Backroad Bar & Grill Closes After A Year, Citing “Economy At Its Worst”

A restaurant, bar, honkytonk and pool hall that opened in West Alabama last year is permanently closed as owners said they could not survive high inflation and the "economy at its worst."

Karen and Jeffery Mathis opened Backwoods Bar & Grill off Highway 11 in Coaling in October 2022 with a menu offering pork chops, ribeye steaks, grill chicken and more alongside a selection of sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts.

The space also hosted frequent live entertainment, pool tournaments, karaoke nights and a watering hole for locals looking for a well-stocked bar.

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As the cost of goods continues to climb, though, the Mathis family took to Facebook Monday to announce they were permanently closing Backroad Bar & Grill.

"It is heartbreaking to say but with the cost of goods and economy at its worst, we have decided to close out this chapter in our life," they wrote. "Last Saturday night was Backroad's last night to be open. We have enjoyed the great times with the new friends we have made and the great times with the old friends who supported our adventure."

Mathis asked fans of the restaurant to come see her at the recently "re-established" Lake View Club attached to the golf course and country club on Agnes Drive, which now also features the Lakeside Studio salon.

For more stories about restaurant and retail development in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.