15 Year Anniversary

Fifteen Years of Food, Family and Friendship at Whittles Pub & Grub

Dave Whittle’s small-town dream has grown into an Eldon institution, carried forward by the family, employees and community he loved.

Dave Whittle knew how to bring people together.

Born Jan. 9, 1955, Dave grew up with the bar business in his blood. His parents owned the Bluebird Inn in Tuscumbia, and other members of his family owned bars as well. He learned early that a neighborhood gathering place was about far more than what was served across the counter. It was about conversation, laughter and making everyone feel welcome.

Dave brought that same outgoing spirit to everything he did. He owned Dave’s Shoes in Eldon and the memorably named—and successful—Dave’s Booze and Shoes in Brumley. He also served the public for 14 years as a Miller County commissioner. Whether he was doing business, serving the county or simply visiting with friends, Dave was happiest around people.

So, in 2011, the idea of opening a restaurant and bar in downtown Eldon fit him perfectly. Dave talked with his brother-in-law Mikey Scott and called Tracy Fry, and a plan began to take shape. In late summer, Whittles Pub & Grub opened its doors. Dave had planned a soft opening, but keeping it quiet was never really his style. He told nearly everyone he knew, and the restaurant was packed. Tracy still enjoys telling the story: Dave said he had invited only a few people, but “a few” turned out to be more than 100.

Dave imagined a full-fledged restaurant with a bar and a separate dining room, giving families a place to eat without having to walk through the bar. He wanted the business to cater to its customers—if there was something they wanted that was not on the menu, he wanted to hear about it. He dreamed up poker tournaments, band nights, Monday Night Football, dart tournaments and any other excuse he could find for people to gather and have fun.

“Dave loved to come in, visit and socialize,” his wife, Tabatha “Tabby” Scott-Whittle, recalled at the restaurant’s 10th anniversary. “He liked to talk to everyone. He just liked getting everyone together to hang out. And he liked to eat.”

That was Dave: a businessman, public servant, husband, brother-in-law, friend and unmistakable Eldon personality. He died in April 2019, but 15 years after he opened Whittles, the place still carries his spirit. It can be found in a busy dining room, in the staff members who have devoted years to the restaurant and in the easy conversation between neighbors who came for a meal and stayed to visit.

A Small-Town Bar Becomes a Family Restaurant

What Dave thought might be a small-town bar steadily grew into a large family restaurant serving people from Eldon, the Lake area and across the country. Some travelers have returned for the giant tenderloins. Local families have made Whittles part of their regular routines. Monthly themed menus—from homestyle favorites to Asian, Mexican and Cajun dishes—have kept the selection fresh alongside a regular menu of more than 50 items and a children’s menu.

The setting has grown with the business. Whittles occupies an early-1900s building in historic downtown Eldon. The bar side was once a drugstore, while the adjoining space became the dining room. During the past 15 years, the dining room has received two major updates, and the bar side has seen several changes of its own. One familiar feature has remained: the iconic yellow wall featuring the Cardinals baseball diamond. Behind the scenes, the kitchen has also evolved with new layouts and additional equipment to keep up with the growing demand for food. Each improvement tells part of the same story: Whittles has continued to invest, adapt and grow right alongside Eldon.

It has also become a place for the community to celebrate together. Block parties began when the Turkey Festival and alumni weekend fell at the same time, filling the vacant lot across from the restaurant with an overwhelmingly popular gathering. Whittles has hosted Bike Fest events for the Noble Eagles and welcomed the Mid-Mo Muscle Car Club. Just before the pandemic, local voters named Whittles No. 1 in eight categories in the Advertiser’s Readers’ Choice contest. Later, the Eldon Chamber of Commerce honored Whittles as its Large Business of the Year.

Keeping Dave’s Dream Alive

When Dave passed away, there was never much question about whether Whittles would continue. The staff even kept the restaurant open during his funeral, arranging shifts so everyone could attend part of the service—because they believed that was what Dave would have wanted.

“I felt like Dave would have wanted us to keep going,” Tabby said.

And they did. Tabby, Mikey and General Manager Tim Ochs carried the business forward with a loyal team, while Polly Scott—Tabby and Mikey’s mother—served as a constant cheerleader and helper. Over the years, many employees have become part of the Whittles family, and their dedication has been the backbone of the restaurant.

Then came one of the greatest challenges the hospitality industry had ever faced.

Whittles closed for 40 days in March 2020 as COVID-19 reached the community. With no certainty about what would happen next, the team took a chance. They deep-cleaned nearly every inch of the building and tackled a major renovation. Coolers, televisions and neon signs came away from the walls. A damaged ceiling was replaced, while historic stamped ceiling pieces were preserved and repainted. New lighting and commercial ceiling fans went in, the Cardinals logo was refreshed and the bar top was redone.

The work even uncovered pieces of downtown history: 15-cent tickets from the old Electric Theatre, dating to the 1920s or 1930s, and an Edison Mazda Lamps box bearing patent dates through 1923.

Whittles reopened May 1, 2020, with carryout service before gradually welcoming diners back. It also reopened as a completely smoke-free restaurant—a significant change that helped accelerate its transformation into the family-oriented dining destination it is today.

The reopening was uncertain, but the community responded. Customers ordered carryout, returned to the dining room and helped the restaurant weather staffing shortages, supply disruptions and rising food costs. As Ochs later wrote, “The LOVE we received from so many locals is what pushed us through the difficult times.”

Fifteen Years—and Still Gathering Around the Table

Fifteen years in the restaurant business is no small achievement. Restaurants face long hours, tight margins, changing costs and countless unexpected challenges. Whittles has endured loss, a pandemic and the growing pains that come with success. Through every setback, family, employees and community have answered by pulling together.

Today, Dave’s wife, Tabby, and his brothers-in-law Mikey Scott and Tim Ochs continue the business he enjoyed so much. They have watched his idea grow beyond the small-town bar he first envisioned into a thriving restaurant that feeds hundreds, employs local people and serves as a gathering place in the heart of downtown Eldon.

Dave did not get to see every renovation, every award or the full extent of what Whittles has become. Yet his presence remains unmistakable. It lives in the welcome at the door, the jokes shared across a table, the events that fill the block and the belief that food tastes best when it brings people together.

The celebration will continue throughout September with a special 2011 throwback menu. The month’s themed menu will bring back selections from the original Whittles menu, along with a few appetizers offered at actual 2011 prices—with slightly smaller portions. Whittles will also give away several gift cards throughout the month, with details to be posted on Facebook.

Guests can mark the milestone with a special 15-Year Anniversary shirt featuring Whittles’ famous large pork tenderloin on the back. The shirts will be available for purchase while supplies last.

As Whittles Pub & Grub celebrates 15 years, the occasion belongs to everyone who helped keep that belief alive: the family members who refused to let the dream end, the employees who showed up year after year and the customers who supported a hometown business through good times and hard ones.

To Eldon and the surrounding community: thank you for 15 years of loyalty, patience, encouragement and friendship. To the Whittles staff, past and present: thank you for being the backbone of the business. And to Dave: the dream is still here, the tables are full, and people are still getting together—just as you intended.