Mark, left, and Michele Muth, new co-owners of Calamity J Grill & Bar, stand together in the outside seating area facing Hal Greer Blvd. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Huntington.
Mark, left, and Michele Muth, new co-owners of Calamity J Grill & Bar, stand together in the outside seating area facing Hal Greer Blvd. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON ֱ Calamity J, located in the well-known building with a balcony on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Hal Greer Boulevard, is a long-time Huntington restaurant staple that is now under new ownership.
The Calamity Cafe was open from 1992 to 2005 and reopened in 2019. Along with a few other restaurants, the side on the edge of Marshall Universityֱs campus also was also home to the original Black Sheep Burritos and Brews location in Huntington.
Calamity Jֱs new owners are Michele and Mark Muth, who also own the Jockey Club, and Mel Cummings. The trio bought both the building and the business together, officially taking over May 28.
ֱCalamity was a staple when I was a kid. It disappeared for a little bit and then it came back,ֱ Cummings said.
He recalled enjoying the feel of the establishment when he was in college. The restaurant would be a bustling spot with live music.
ֱWe just want to bring it back to ֱ not always the same thing but just the energy that it has and the relaxed vibe,ֱ Cummings said.
Cummings and the Muths all graduated from Marshall and have memories of the restaurant that go back decades. Michele Muth said she came to Marshall in 1999 and remembers what Calamity was like then.
ֱThis was an opportunity that came up and we felt like we could make a difference here,ֱ she said.
The new owners arenֱt planning on making any significant changes to the establishment. So far, they fixed the stairs and touched up some paint.
More TVs, a dart board and armchairs were added upstairs to make it feel more like a sports bar.
ֱI think that we are looking to improve upon the product that is already here. We donֱt want to take anything away,ֱ Cummings said. ֱOur prices are below market, and we want to keep it that way. We want to keep the feel when (customers) come in. We would rather have volume and people happy and keep them coming back than trying to squeeze every dime out.ֱ
Michele Muth also works at the Marshall rec center and has already heard good feedback on the restaurant from students, saying they like it because itֱs affordable and a nice place to eat when they get tired of the dining hall.
She is looking at holding more events and parties there. They had a viewing party for the last episode of ֱLove Islandֱ in July and it was a big hit.
They all agree that the restaurant carries a lot of nostalgia for some customers. For others, itֱs a place to make new memories.
ֱThereֱs a lot of nostalgia, but I think itֱs different for everyone whoֱs here. So obviously someone whoֱs coming from Marshall today, this being their first day on Monday, itֱs gonna mean something different than our regulars sitting down at the bar that have been coming here since 2019. Weֱve got regulars that remember it that come in almost daily,ֱ Cummings said.
Michele Muth said the cheese soup is the same, made using the recipe from Calamity Cafe in the ֱ90s, and they plan to keep it on the menu.
Theyֱve added local beer to the menu from breweries Bad Shepherd in Charleston and Köerber in Barboursville.
Their main customers consist of families, regulars and now students, but they want everyone to come check it out.
Calamity J offers a different weekday special every night. For example, Marshall students get 20% off on Mondays and ladies get 20% off on Thursdays.
ֱThe menu now is the same as it was when it was bought in 2019 and became Calamity Jֱs. There are items on the menu that are from the original Calamity Cafe that was open in the 1990s,ֱ Michele Muth said.
So far, theyֱve added one new menu item. Itֱs Cummingsֱ favorite: the pepperoni rolls.
Michele Muth likes the Psychedelic Nachos and Mark Muth says the Planet Earth salad is his go-to.
