Chapz Bar and Grill in Belmont County is not looking to be found. Those who do find it have to take an exit off of I-70 and wind down a two-lane road for a few miles until the backside of a woman wearing chaps emerges from among the scenery. You have arrived “where leather meets skin,” as the bar's slogan boasts. On weekend nights, what seems to be a biker bar is filled with rowdy locals looking for a cold beer and a live band. However, a Saturday afternoon at Chapz is a sanctuary for Belmont locals. Surrounded by a half-dozen regulars bantering back and forth, a stranger may feel out of place. However, sitting at the bar listening to the men catch up on each other's joys and losses of the week, one can feel oddly at home.

The bar and grill is extremely clean. The black bartop gleams with “Chapz” in orange painted in the middle. Waitress Cheryl, clad in cutoffs and signature black chaps, is proud to brag about the bar's win in the local Harley Davidson Association's annual chili cook-off. The slightly sweet three-bean chili can be ordered alone or dripped over a heaping order of cheese fries. Most of the regulars simply order their typical brew as an appetizer, which Cheryl places in front of them as they drift in. She knows what they want. Football, food and companionship bring these men here.

Cheryl, who normally works weekday shifts, is pleasantly surprised to see many of her regular crowd. Though she pretends the men are her bitter enemies, it is apparent through their back-and-forth exchanges of jokes and teasing that Cheryl and her customers share a bond that makes an outsider envious. Chapz is a small bar in a small town. However, the locals keep it afloat as part of their daily routine.

Photo taken by Audrey Rabalais