As Sportsman's Public House approaches its 100th year in business, the historic Ridgefield restaurant is preparing to reach audiences far beyond Clark County through a feature by America's Best Restaurants, a media company that showcases independently owned eateries across the country through social media and online videos.
The visit reflects a growing trend in which small-town restaurants are finding new customers through digital platforms that can generate tens of thousands of views for locally owned businesses.
J Russell, a host of America's Best Restaurants and a television news anchor from Phoenix, Arizona, said the company focuses on highlighting restaurants that might otherwise be overlooked in favor of larger chains. Russell added that he has visited over 250 restaurants in 32 states so far.
"America's Best Restaurants, we travel all around the country trying out some of the most unique restaurants across the country," Russell said.
Russell said Sportsman's Public House stood out because of both its longevity and its connection to the community.
"I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant before that's been celebrating their 100th year of business," he said.
According to Sportsman's Public House owner Michael Schnidrig, the restaurant's roots date back 100 years, spanning many name changes and revitalization. One of the biggest revitalization efforts came when the space was transformed from a Model T car shop to a restaurant space in 1926.
Schnidrig said the restaurant had names like “pub, grill, restaurant lounge, steakhouse and saloon” and then finally now the public house after he bought the restaurant in 2018.
Schnidrig said maintaining the Sportsman's name has been important because of the building's history.
"It's a historical landmark now coming off the 100-year anniversary," he said. "We will be doing something in late September for our 100 years."
Since purchasing the business, Schnidrig said he has focused on changing both the menu and atmosphere.
"When I first took it over, when (the previous owner) wanted to be a saloon, it was a saloon. People were coming in here getting drunk, fights, arguing, cussing, swearing," Schnidrig said. "I stopped all that. I don't allow cussing and swearing in the restaurant. I encourage families to be here and we got rid of all the riffraff and really cleaned it up. People feel comfortable bringing their children and having a family dining experience."
General Manager Candace Joiner said the restaurant has benefited from Ridgefield's growth while continuing to attract customers from surrounding communities.
"We have an amazing team that puts their heart and soul into everything they do here," Joiner said. "The food quality is phenomenal. We're gaining a lot of traction with new customers. Based on people living here and then people that have been coming from Washougal, Camas, all over, because they've heard more about us."
Joiner said the restaurant has embraced Ridgefield's identity, including displaying artwork inspired by the nearby wildlife refuge and preserving pieces of the building's history.
As for the menu, it emphasizes fresh ingredients and scratch-made recipes, Schnidrig said.
"We make almost all of them from scratch,” he said. “So it's really handcrafted homemade food, not store-bought. We buy all fresh local ingredients, too. And we have a huge tap selection."
The America's Best Restaurants feature is expected to help introduce Sportsman's Public House and its localized menu to an even larger audience.
Russell said the reach of social media has changed how restaurants gain exposure.
"For a lot of the restaurants, at least that I cover, it averages between 50,000 to 60,000 views," he said. "I do more than newscasts. Sometimes we have 22,000 people watching."
For many businesses, he said, social media has become as influential as traditional media outlets.
"A lot of times people think about the traditional means of media, newspaper, TV, radio, magazines," Russell said. "Social media created its own lane, and a lot of people just need to get in the car and drive on it.”
Joiner also noted that consumer habits have shifted dramatically in recent years.
"Not as many people watch TV,” she said. “What do we do now? We're doom scrollers. We sit on our phones. We want to see what the next best thing is, and that's really how I think it gets out there anymore is social media.”
For Sportsman's Public House, the upcoming feature that will be released at an unknown date offers an opportunity to celebrate its past while introducing a nearly century-old Ridgefield institution to a new generation of customers scrolling through their phones, as Joiner put it.
The Sportsman's Public House is located at 121 N. Main Ave., in Ridgefield, and is open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on its Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website and social media.
