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BUCKHANNON – Age is just a number for State GazetteGeneration Next: 40 Under 40 Recipients Again this year, Buckhannon native Travis Foster was one of a select few entrepreneurs honored with this prestigious recognition in mid-June.
The State Gazette describes the Generation Next: 40 Under 40 awards as “a program that recognizes some of the state’s future leaders in business, health care, education and government who contribute not only through their efforts at work but also through their efforts in the community.”
Foster, 40, is Buckhannon’s future leader as the owner and operator of several small businesses established in Upshur County, including Bacteria Busters Pro, Foster’s Marketing Group and TBF Land & Mineral Research.
Foster and the other 39 ’40 Under 40′ honorees — as well as the nominees’ families and friends — gathered for an awards ceremony and formal dining hosted by Muriale’s Italian Kitchen in Fairmont on June 16. The evening was a celebration of the achievements of the 40 influential figures who live and work in the state and was held at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center, located in the West Virginia Tech Park in Fairmont.
“To be in that room with all those people, it was great,” Foster told My Buckhannon. “Then to be able to connect — the connections you’ve made from that room and the energy from all the younger people, those 40 and under — that make things happen [was a big honor].”
Foster manages the responsibilities of his many business ventures as well as coaching basketball at Upshur County. As a small business owner in West Virginia, Foster has found that the stellar work ethic and high quality of his employees are a big part of what allows him to run his business smoothly.
“If you don’t put the right people around you, there’s no way you’re going to do it,” he said. “You really build good people around you to be able to help, because if not, there’s no way I’d be doing what I’m doing.”
Foster also stressed the importance of not putting all your entrepreneurial eggs in one basket, especially during tough economic times.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to stay consistent in a lot of times when people haven’t,” Foster said. “We’re lucky in that area – trying to stay as diverse as possible to keep your guys and their families fed is really our main goal. Whether it’s basketball or business, we all come from the same background … our saying about basketball and leadership with my guys is, ‘Hard work plus no excuses equals success.’ I’ve preached that for a long time.”
In the coming weeks, Foster and his team plan to host a grand opening for an outdoor beer garden located on Trader’s Alley in Buckhannon. This new location will open Friday, and each week will feature a new, rotating menu from local restaurants, Appalachian craft beer and wine, and live performances by local musicians. Slated to open in August, Foster hopes the welcoming atmosphere of the outdoor beer garden will offer guests a unique experience in Upshur County.
“Main street and down [Trader’s Alley] it’s going to be a really cool place to have cocktails and sit outside,” he said. “It’s far from everything. It’s a great environment.”
Also in the works, the former Fox’s Pizza location in Buckhannon will soon become the Appalachian Ale House, a pub with outdoor seating. Like the beer garden, the Ale House will feature West Virginia craft beer and wine with the use of a unique draft system similar to the popular BottomsUp draft beer system. The magnet lifts when placed on the tab where alcohol is filled from the bottom of the glass to reduce waste and improve bar cleanliness. Fosters hopes to open that location to the public in October, while the outdoor seating area is slated to open in spring 2023.
Many Buckhannon residents are wondering what’s next for the vacant lot at the corner of Main and Spring streets after the former building was declared a total loss and destroyed following the Oct. 5 fire on Main Street. Foster now has high hopes for this location as a “marketplace” space that will provide a flexible location to meet the needs of the community.
The plan is for the lot to have electricity and running water to allow potential vendors to use the space for food vendor setups, Christmas decor, car shows, private events and more. When events are not taking place in the car park, paid parking may be available. Architectural renderings for the plot design are currently in the drawing phases and will be released in the coming weeks.
“I think about things I can do for the city — the more people I bring to this place right here, I can pack [the experiences]Foster said, hinting at exciting business plans still in the works.
As Foster and his team continue the development phases of their many projects, he encourages the community to be patient to ensure these endeavors are shared at the peak of their potential.
“You have to be able to diversify [in your business endeavors] so we can put a process in place,” Foster said. “We always say, ‘not only do you have to put a good process in place, but you can’t rush that process and you have to trust that process.’
See the full list of State Journal 40 Under 40 award recipients here.
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