Wagoner Lives His Dream Through Horizon Bistro
Sparta restaurant works to help the community
SPARTA-Horizon Bistro owner Garrison Wagoner developed a love of cooking at a young age. He started as a 12-year-old boy, working with his grandmother in the kitchen. She taught him how to make things like scrambled eggs and her chocolate cake recipe, which Wagoner used to win his school’s Iron Chef competition in the sixth grade.
By 17, he was a line cook at the Roaring Gap Club and he worked his way through college as a cook at Canyons Restaurant in Blowing Rock. But it wasn’t until his third year at Appalachian State that Wagoner started thinking about the restaurant industry as a possible career.
“I was a political science major at the time, but it wasn’t what I really wanted to do,” Wagoner said. “I’ve always had a passion to learn and go into business. At Canyons, I got promoted to front of house and found I liked that too. So I switched my major to hospitality and tourism management.”
During the summer of his junior year, Wagoner took that passion one step further, learning different parts of the business as an intern at Westchester Country Club in New York. When graduation came, Westchester offered him a job as assistant food and beverage manager. But Wagoner wanted to own a business, to take everything he had learned and do it his way. In December of 2017, he got that chance, when the business that is now Horizon Bistro went up for sale.
“I heard this was for sale,” Wagoner said. “I was 23 and with some help, I was able to start my own business.”
He reached out to Mary Teague, who owned the business, and negotiated a deal. When January 2018 rolled around, Wagoner was back in Alleghany County, watching how Teague’s business operated and making notes. He took over and Horizon opened its doors that February at 38 S. Main Street in Sparta. The menu highlights a variety of Wagoner’s influences and his own takes on different soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as a variety of dinner dishes.
Over time, it’s also become as much of a community gathering place as a restaurant. This was one of Wagoner’s goals from the beginning, giving residents in Alleghany another option for entertainment and events. Musicians play on a regular basis and in February, Horizon hosted a “Meet the Candidates” Dinner and Forum.
“Hospitality is about the experience,” Wagoner said. “We like being a part of our community and being able to help people share an experience through food.”
Working During Quarantine
After the governor’s quarantine order, Horizon stepped up to help the community. This past week alone, they coordinated with the Local Government Federal Credit Union to provide dinner to the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then on Thursday, an anonymous donor reached out and wanted to pay for 70 family meals. The restaurant opened it up, announcing the donation on social media and inviting people to call in that night and pick up a free meal.
Currently, Horizon is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for curbside pickup and delivery in the city. From 3 p.m. until 6 p.m., they’re also offering family meals like hibachi chicken, baked spaghetti, chicken alfredo or other items. To place an order, you can call (336)-372–7444 and find a menu through their Facebook page here. If you want food delivered after 5 p.m., Wagoner said the restaurant will deliver anywhere in Alleghany County. He just requests that those nighttime orders come in no later than 4:30 p.m.
