12/03/2024
🌟✨ **Appreciation Post** ✨🌟
Before I start with thanks, I'd like to take a moment to apologize that this wasn't posted sooner. As some of you know, my family and I have been dealing with a death in the family, along with an injury sustained closing week. It has taken more time than I care to admit to pull myself out of the mixed emotions of the loss to express my gratitude for what I consider a wonderful season full of lessons, new friends, hugs, reignited old friendships, great food, new core memories, growth, community support, and love.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you all.
- Vanessa
What an incredible season at The Dock: A River Cafe! We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has made this journey so special in the place that has been a home for Vanessa throughout the years since before her birth. We are so grateful for your help and support in bringing our vision of unique, scratch-made, and locally-sourced foods and wares to the riverfront with a family feel. We couldn’t have done it without you.
When you ate or shopped with us, you didn't just support our family, you also supported these families of these fine Kentucky farmers, producers, and purveyors...
Stone Cross Farm and Cloverdale Creamery Stepping Stone Farms Russell Gardens Ale-8-One Bi-Water Farm & Greenhouse Fancy Hippie Handmade Salad Days Farm High Five Farm Lodge Farm Organics The Field Farm Apocalypse Freeze Dried Treats Lazy Dog LLC
Country Boy Brewing YetiCheese LLC City Roastery West Sixth Brewing Buffalo Trace Bourbon Buffalo Trace Distillery ...
Your dedication to your craft and fine Kentucky farming shows through in each of your incredible products, meats, and produce. Thank you! 🥕
To our loyal customers, thank you for choosing us as your go-to spot by the river. Your support and enthusiasm for our food and atmosphere created such a buzz, we've received only 5 star reviews across 3 separate platforms for food, service, and atmosphere (over 100). 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
We loved seeing familiar faces and welcoming new friends. It’s your smiles and laughter that create the vibrant energy we cherish. You know Vanessa lives for the dopamine from your positive reactions and she'll most likely watch you eat the first bite. 😂🤣 To those who were down here almost daily, weekly, or frequently... Donna Hecker, JD Quarles, Meg Wiggins Quarles, Jeff Hancock, the Muellers, Scott Papineau and Sydney, Destiny Marie Bray, Patrick Bray, Paula Murphy, Shaun Murphy, Brooke Wayne Christopher, Tiffany Seppenfield, Jonathan Seppenfield, Deavon Marie Johnston, Spencer Harrod, Zeb Martin, Teresa Azbill Barton, Missy Adams Mccray and Ben, Pamela Baker Clyde, Capella Kyle McFarland, Melissa Arnold-Rogers, Laura Nichols Stanley, and others, THANK YOU!! 🫶🏻
A huge shoutout and deepest thanks to our amazing friends, supporters, and community! Your encouragement and belief in our vision of a food centered locavore restaurant on the Kentucky River have propelled us forward. Your hard work and dedication made it all possible. From the initial steps of bringing our dream to life to the everyday tasks that kept us running, we couldn’t have done it without you! Whether it was deep cleaning, heavy lifting, moving in, setting up, sharing our posts on social media, or spreading the word about our food, you’ve helped us build a wonderful community that we’re proud to be a part of. Thank you Gerri and Brandon Wainscott and family, Lisa Weber, Alexandra Seyberth, Carol Smith, Debra Ann, Teresa Barton, Melissa Rogers, Jamie Penn, Billie Jo Gannone, Pat and Destiny Bray, Franklin County Farmers Market, Jodie Bryant, Sabrina, Megan Graffis, Kristin Dempsey, Stu Shunk, Sherry and Chuck Hines, Cyrus Hines, Chanda Williams-Miller, Ed Steverson, Holly Matney Hendricks, Ben Bray, Robin Antenucci with Visit Frankfort, Mayor Layne Wilkerson, Natalie Wilkerson, Michael Mueller, Andrea Wilson Mueller, Justgrind Gear, Rick Showalter, Jack Kennedy, Suzy Burgess Hosley with Downtown Frankfort Inc, Shannon Kirk, Rick Showalter, Gayle Dailey, Penny Dailey, Jamie Kirk, Charla Jackson Peter, The Kentucky River Authority, the Grubbs, Greg Peter, Franklin County Health Department, Candice Nichole, Tish Shade with Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce, Allison and Nathan Depenbrock with Kentucky River Tours, Capt. Paul Nicholson with Rockin Thunder River Tours, and Niesah.
Thank you Jamie Penn for your mad boating skills, use of your pontoon, and keeping us pretty level through the season. I appreciate you!
Thank you Jesse Best at Engine House Coffee for helping with the coffee situation and lifting heavy things. 😂🫶🏻
Thank you Jonathan Seppenfield at POURter's for your great knowledge of all things beer, helping put up signs, and heavy lifting. 😂🫶🏻
Thank you Tiffany Seppenfield with TS Media for all things social, media, and marketing. Bigger thanks for being my sounding board more often than I can count and jumping in wherever you could! 🫶🏻
Thank you Amy Smith, Michelle Bragg, and Birch Bragg for the countless hours of guidance, answering questions, calming fears, and advice. I'm forever grateful for your friendship and your wisdom. 🫶🏻
To Ouita Michel, Donna Hecker, and Nick Zaluski, thank you for your support, mentorship, your guidance, advice, and allowing me to learn the business end at Wallace Station. I'm grateful for you all! 🫶🏻
Thank you to the Frankfort Boat Club for renovations, guidance, and hard work!! 🫶🏻
To my team who are family... Joel Noble, Ava Noble, Wyatt Noble, my sous chef Shannon Martin, my mixologist Tete Hill, my pastry chef Amberlee Wilkins, Skyler, and Michael... you are the real MVPs. I couldn't have done any of this without you. Thank you for picking me up on bad days and sharing in the good days. Thank you for always having my back and not complaining too much when I add a new crazy item to the menu. 😂 I love you all. I think we made Mimi and Granddaddy proud! 💗
As we look forward to the next season (expanded hours, bourbon paired dinners with Whiskey Thief Distilling Co., tour groups from Kentucky Bourbon Boys, community meals, pay-what-you-can family meals, new menu items (we tested out Fish Fry Fridays on some of you, along with our new beer battered onion rings with smoked tomato ranch, plus new sweet treats from Amberlee), and tours from Thunder River Tours), we’re excited to continue serving you and creating unforgettable experiences on the river. Here’s to many more delicious meals, beautiful sunsets, and cherished memories together! 🌊❤️
With gratitude,
Vanessa and The Dock Crew
PS. Please enjoy pics of some of our infamous or favorite moments from the season for tax.
