Teardrop Inn finds new life as The Gospel Hangout
BY DANNA BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
KERMIT, W.Va. – The building in Kermit formerly known as Teardrop Inn was once set to be torn down but is now home to The Gospel Hangout. The gospel music concert hall and learning center now hosts dinner shows most Saturday nights at 7 p.m.
The Teardrop Inn, a bar and exotic dance club, where the bluegrass song “Teardrop Inn” by the Tommy Webb Band gets its name, was housed in a building that was the Church of God and now has been converted into a gospel music venue called The Gospel Hangout.
“It used to be a bar, but it was a church first,” said pastor John Messer, owner of The Gospel Hangout.
Messer was running a construction company and was approached by a local business owner about tearing down the building.
“For years I’ve always wanted to have something like this to do, to do for the community to have gospel music and people could come and eat,” said Messer. “A good place they could come to be in a Christian atmosphere, you know, on a Saturday night, because there’s nothing for anybody who is a Christian to do in this area, and I just had it on my heart.
“We started a dinner show, and I started gospel music lessons here, and I’m putting in a recording studio,” said Messer.
The Gospel Hangout hosted Michael Combs at the Kermit Gym March 11.
Most Saturday nights the venue hosts a dinner show at its main location starting at 7 p.m.
March 18 Winds of Praise and Glory Bound will be playing at The Gospel Hangout.
March 25 Faithful Daughters will be playing.
There are menus for you to order from and waiters that cater the food from the Tug Fork & Spoon next door while you enjoy the show.
“There have been several young kids that’s learned, that are now playing in church,” said Messer. “They learned to play music here.”
Messer is grateful for all who attend and assist The Gospel Hangout. Lighthouse Community Church of East Kermit has been a big supporter of the venue.
“The pastor of Lighthouse Community Church comes out and helps me work on it if something’s wrong,” said Messer.
Before Messer opened The Gospel Hangout, the building sat empty and was in rough condition, including a leaky roof.
“We took this building that was used for nothing, and nobody thought it was good for anything, and God transformed something, and when He transforms something it can be used for His glory,” said Messer.
Follow The Gospel Hangout on Facebook to stay up-to-date on future events.