After a long trip that brought her from Texas all the way to Kensington, Ga., hard working Molly quickly became a valuable addition to the Pigeon Mountain Country Store. She is unlike anything many of us have ever seen, and quite the talk of the community.

Molly works day and night, and if you would like to meet her, all you need to do is pull into the parking lot of this restaurant/general market. She’ll be waiting for you right outside, and she’ll be as busy as always while she smokes up some of the best barbecue you’ve had the pleasure of tasting.

Custom made for Pigeon Mountain Country Store, Molly took nine months to build and has become Carl Cofer’s pride and joy, as well as chef Jim Hipple and assistant chef Joey Agosta’s baby.

“She’s a beast,” Jim Hipple says with pride. “She has everything, including the kitchen sink.”

Molly is just one of the many additions made to this quickly growing establishment tucked away on the back roads of Walker County. As his small establishment gains notoriety, owner Carl Cofer has had to increase sitting space to accommodate it’s growing popularity, and has done so by doubling up on the available amount of tables and chairs.

As promised a year ago, when I first wrote about this little hidden treasure, they have also completed construction on the pavilion, opening it to the public earlier this past fall.

When warm weather once again arrives, families will find much more than just good food and a beautiful view of the mountain while dinning in the open air of the pavilion. They will also be able to enjoy live music performed by local bands, and most important of all, good old-fashioned fellowship with friends and neighbors. That’s the sole reason Mr. Cofer opened the Pigeon Mountain Country Store to begin with.

Wanting to bring back the seemingly forgotten days where neighbors actually knew one another and people in the community made time to slow down and catch up, Mr. Cofer decided to give them a place where it would all be possible.

Pigeon Mountain Country Store isn’t just a great place to get back to our roots, but also Mr. Cofer’s way of giving back to the community he loved so much while growing up. It’s his way of making it possible for the same memories he cherishes today to continue on with generations to come. A goal that he has greatly obtained.

In November of last year, Commissioner Bebe Heiskell presented Carl Cofer with a proclamation recognizing him for his creativity and generosity to the community. She even declared Nov. 5 as Carl Cofer day.

While Pigeon Mountain Country Store has already achieved so much, Mr. Cofer still has bigger plans for it. It’s still a work in progress.

When winter begins to fade away, and spring is once again giving us pleasant nights, the community of Kensington can expect yet more to come. On Thursdays, the pavilion at Pigeon Mountain Country Store will become a farmers market, boasting only local products and produce. Along with live music on Saturday nights, families and friends will be able to enjoy a friendly competition at the soon-to-come horseshoe pits.

In the process of adding on a larger kitchen, it’s safe to say that more than just the establishment itself is increasing in size; menu options are also increasing. Already, a few changes have been made. The famous hamburgers made from a third of a pound of free-range, grass-fed longhorn beef, are now also available in a size that your child can enjoy.

No worries though, while they are adding to, they aren’t taking away. You can still find Chef Jim’s well loved barbecue, ribs that fall off the bone, and delicious hot soups. In the bakery case, Joey’s lemon chess bars and chewy brownies still reign supreme, and you can still order up a root beer float to wash it all down.

Best of all, Molly loves to travel and is more than willing to come on out for a visit. You don’t have to go to Pigeon Mountain Country Store to enjoy all this good food, they’ll be more than happy to cater for your next party or church function, ensuring it to be a meal your friends won’t soon forget.

So the next time you find yourself traveling through the back roads of Walker County, feel free to stop by and enjoy a meal. You can find them sitting at the intersection of 193 and 341, with Molly putting out aromatic smoke while she sits proudly in the yard.

For all you local farmers who might be interested in setting up a booth at the up-and-coming farmers market, there’s still room left. Anything you wish to sell must be local first party products and produce only. There’s also plenty of room for local musicians; a summer’s worth of Saturdays are in need of entertainment.

You can contact Jim Hipple at 706-539-2999. Better yet, sit down and discuss things over a lemon chess bar and the best cup of coffee the county has to offer. Actually, it may even be the best coffee in the surrounding counties as well.

LaFayette resident Tanya Nave is a mostly sane mother of three children, a proud wife and caretaker for many pets. “I could probably give life a little more than I am, but I love the one I have,” she says. You can email her at droolydooley@yahoo.com. She also has a Facebook fan page.