Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cheri Knight. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cheri, appreciate you joining us today. Your ability to build a team is often a key determinant of your success as a business owner and so we’d love to get a conversation going with successful entrepreneurs like yourself around what your recruiting process was like -especially early on. How did you build your team?

We opened our doors with just one employee (Travis Scarbrough) and one invaluable friend (Dan Warren) who helped us get started out of sheer kindness. He believed in us, had the time to spare, and simply wanted to see us succeed.
Our very first employee had only worked as a delivery driver. He had never stepped foot in restaurant kitchen, which gave us a rare opportunity to teach someone from the ground up. Thankfully, he was eager to learn and ready for change.
I came in with 35+ years of food and beverage experience, having worked through eras when derogatory and condescending treatment were considered part of the industry. It was refreshing- honestly, a relief- to see how shocked the younger generation was by those old norms. Here I was, letting the stress turn into frustration when things didn’t go perfectly, and there he was: calm, steady, and simply rolling with it. Without even realizing it, he retrained me to be a better teacher and a better example. As I relaxed, I could finally share my experience in a way he could truly hear, not just endure.
Over time, that first employee became our biggest cheerleader. He learned about nutrition. He mastered our POS. He started connecting with every single customer, embracing our belief that building relationships matters far more than just meeting someone’s immediate needs.
In many ways, this kid fed our spirits as much as we fed him. Through his enthusiasm and love of our food, he helped us build a loyal following. After three dedicated years, he ventured out on his own-and we couldn’t be more proud.
Working with him changed my entire perspective on training and on what truly matters in our business: hospitality!

Cheri, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When we moved back to Fayetteville, WV, I realized quickly that-even with the AMAZING, restaurants we have here-the options could become repetitive for someone with dietary issues. I was often limited to one or two items on most menus. That left me choosing foods that didn’t work for me just to avoid boredom, and I quietly dealt with the consequences.
So when the opportunity to open a restaurant appeared, the menu came to me almost instantly. I dreamed about the space, and I would wake up with ideas spilling out faster than I could write them down.
We specialize in rice bowls packed with fresh vegetables, and our sauces bring all the flavor. We do our best to accommodate a wide range of allergies and dietary needs. Early on, we discovered some people in the area had never encountered some of the flavors I wanted to serve. I gave away a lot of food to show people we weren’t serving anything strange- we were serving ingredients they already knew, just prepared differently. We wanted people to know having healthier options didn’t have to mean being miserable.
Over time, we’ve let go of some original items and added new ones based on customer requests. The hardest part has been setting aside my own preferences long enough to truly listen- not just to guests, but to my employees as well. They bring ideas I might not have considered: better workflows, more efficient setups, and ways to reach a younger audience. I’ve been in more “reels” than I ever imagined! But it’s been worth it.
The journey has been incredible. I’ve finally pushed past the constant mental exhaustion. I’ve learned far more about data than I ever wanted to- but it has changed how I run the restaurant and how we serve our community.
It’s been a joy getting to know both our local customers and the travelers passing through. Tourism grows every year, and we see many repeat visitor who come back excited to eat with us again. Building these relationships has been the best part of opening my restaurant.
I’m in better health now, even in a high-stress industry-and it’s not just because I’m eating in a way that supports my body, It’s because I get to share food with people I’ve grown to love and serve a community that has embraced us from the start.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

Our first winter wa s real eye opener. In a town with fewer than 3,000 residents, we quickly learned just how small our target audience actually was- and how much work it would take to reach more people. That winter, and the ones that followed, felt like we were simply bleeding money. At first, I panicked. Who am I kidding- I still panic every winter. The drop in business is expected, but it always feels dire.
We came genuinely close to calling it quits. Not taking a paycheck and watching my life savings shrink to almost nothing was never part of the plan. So this winter, we’re making a significant change to help protect the business: we’ve shortened our hours and reduced the days we’re open. Being the smallest restaurant in town- and unable to serve alcohol due to restrictions- comes with limitations. I don’t have outside investors to absorb the financial impact, and I can’t afford to maintain a full staff during the slowest months.
What keeps us afloat is our incredibly loyal customer base. They show up for us all year long and truly want to see us succeed. Still, the seasonal drop in tourism always reminds us that we can never let our guard down. We have to remain vigilant with our budget and stay educated as the business landscape evolves.
We’re constantly finding ways to cut costs without compromising quality. One example: we transitioned from offering sandwiches to offering burritos. Our bread was delicious, but far too expensive to justify. We’re always searching for ways to adapt without raising prices, but sometimes that becomes unavoidable, especially with the ongoing rise in food costs.
Winter is tough. Not only for us, but for our amazing staff. They continue to show up for us and for our customers. We all suffer the strain of the slow down, but it has taught us resilience, creativity, and the importance of adapting quickly.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Our core philosophy is consistency- consistency in the food we serve and in the way we show up every single day. That means treating everyone the way we want to be treated and acknowledging every person who walks through our door, even if they never order a thing.
We’re always happy to talk with visitors about the area- current events, local shops, or other food options they might be looking for in that moment. We love our community and genuinely appreciate all it has to offer. That’s what we want to share with the people who come to town. It isn’t just about us; it’s about showcasing the place we call home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thetakeoutwv.com
• Instagram: Thetakeoutwv
• Facebook: The Take Out
• Yelp: The Take Out Fayetteville, WV

Image Credits

Crystal Kennedy to photo of hubby and I. I took the rest.