by Shawn Nowlin
There is a new attraction in Downtown Roanoke that is generating a lot of buzz. Located at 402 S Jefferson Street, VIP Sportsbar & Bistro and owners; Kay Phelps, Deborah Phelps are fully committed to creating a nice atmosphere with good drinks and food for their customers.
Before VIP Sportsbar, Kay says she worked for seventeen years in similar fields. Things she learned during that time – how to make people feel welcomed, solving problems as a team and outworking the competition – prepared her to run her current business along with her dad and older sister.
According to Kay, there are subtle differences between her establishment and other clubs. ìVIP Lounge, which stands for vision, integrity and prosperity, is targeted for the older crowd,î she said. ìWe targeted the 30 and up crowd because a lot of those people often tell me that they don’t have a lot of places they can go to and feel comfortable.”
Most of the uniquely flavored meals on their menu cost under twenty dollars. Sandwich N’ Soup or Salad ($8.50), Three-Piece Fish Taco and VIP Friez ($8.00), Chicken Sandwich and VIP Friez ($9.00) and a Wingz Bone N’ Bone Out 20 piece ($18.75) are among the more popular selections.
Kay says she spends most of her days running the day to day operations. ìI normally get to work at 11am and start preparing everything for the lunch crowd. As the day goes on, we get into the nightlife,î she said.
It didn’t take long for VIP Sportsbar & Bistro to make its mark on social media. On Wednesday, March 22, the establishment held a viewing party for the season premiere of the hit TV show Empire. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter will continue to be used to garner attention for future events.
Kay credits most of what she has been able to accomplish to her friends and family. “I very much agree that a team is basically your backbone. You have to have a good team to run a successful business and you need to have people who support you,” she said. “I am very lucky because I have a great support system and my family is wonderful. Without them, I could not have done this.”
Kay and her team are extremely excited about what the future holds for VIP Sportsbar & Bistro. As Kay put it “we are here to serve the community.”
