Broken Spoke joins Weirs businesses to stay open year-round

The Turner Family has taken over management of The Broken Spoke Saloon, located at the corner of Route 3 and Watson Road in Laconia, and they plan to operate the bar and restaurant year-round. From left: Alicia Turner (holding Grace Gregory), Laban Turner, John Turner and Donna Turner. (Adam Drapcho/Laconia Daily Sun)

By ADAM DRAPCHO, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Conventional wisdom, at least when it comes to bars and restaurants at The Weirs, is that there's only enough business to stay open during tourist seasons. Last winter, Faro Italian Grill proved that it could keep customers coming in from the cold, though. Earlier this year, El Jimador, a successful Mexican eatery in Belmont opened a second location in The Weirs, which they plan to keep open year-round, and a third haunt will join them in offering a place to warm up when the snow flies. The Broken Spoke, which has been a Laconia Motorcycle Week fixture for decades, has stayed open – and busy – this summer and fall, and the family that recently took over management plans to keep it open year-round.

The Broken Spoke, which now has locations in Sturgis, North Dakota, and Daytona Beach, Florida, has had a presence in Laconia for nearly 30 years. What started as a temporary bar under a tent that would materialize to service Laconia Motorcycle Week crowds became a permanent building in 2000. While there were short-lived attempts to operate the bar and restaurant year-round, the Broken Spoke was open for only Motorcycle Week for most of its existence. That changed this year, as a local family has taken over management of the bar and restaurant, with a promise to keep the doors open through all seasons.

The Broken Spoke is owned by Melissa and Bob Penland. But, since August, the business has been leased and managed by the Turner family: John and Donna, and their children Alicia and Laban.

The Turners are familiar with the Broken Spoke crowd. Donna has helped the owners clean the place, and Alicia has worked at the business during Motorcycle Week since 2009. The family has adopted a handful of principles: Keep a small staff of familiar faces, so that regulars will know the person who pours their drink and cooks their food; maintain a casual, comfortable atmosphere; and fill the calendar with music and special events to give patrons a reason to come back.

"For years, we've watched this place mishandled," said John. "I always wondered why people didn't do certain things. I always said, if I ran the place, I would do things differently." The Turners updated the menu to offer standard American pub food, plus a few healthier items. They've added fire pits outside, which they plan to keep going all winter, and are building their craft beer selection.

And, there's something going on just about every night of the week. Pool tournaments, Karaoke nights, live music, food specials, dart leagues and car shows. Once the snow starts accumulating, they hope to find a new customer base among the snowmobilers.

"We need to give them a reason to show up," said John. And, so far, it's been working.

"We've been doing really well," said Alicia, who is serving as operations manager. "We've been a full house most weekend nights."

When it comes to businesses at The Weirs, it seems that it's time for the conventional wisdom to be revised.