Writing for the Meat Market takes me everywhere. From the sweatiest of Puyallup dance floors to the crustiest of Lacey dive bars, I've seen it. Gooey, stinky and wet. I take it all.

What I haven't seen - until now - is anything south of exit 99 on Interstate 5. And when my editor tells me to check out the Little Red Barn in Grand Mound, I laugh. You expect people to dance and mingle that far south, I ask? So close to Centralia?

Of course, the Little Red Barn immediately proves me little red wrong. The place has no shortage of customers. Lifted trucks sporting Confederate flag decals crowd the parking lot. The lounge section of what is, quite literally, a little red barn bustles with noise. Bartenders hustle, waiters weave and, underneath the high vaulted ceilings, a country-rock band called 8 Second Ride tunes their instruments. Grand Mound might be in the middle of nowhere, but on a Saturday night, it draws a crowd.

A crowd that fits in with the rural surroundings. Because the lounge is an old barn, it's appropriate that most patrons are dressed for a hoedown.  Large Stetson hats and cowboy boots are popular. So are big belt buckles and camouflage shirts. Knowing all the words to country song favorites is quite fashionable at the Little Red Barn. Quite fashionable.

Since I'm a city boy, I can't exactly join in on the "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" sing-along. But I can appreciate the fact that these country folk are living it up. As the band rocks out, aging cowboys partner with long-haired lasses and hit the hardwood. Sexy eyes fly around the room. Dancers partner with strangers. Asses are grabbed. Sure, it's mostly the over-40 type, but if you can drink beer and flirt, the Little Red Barn is just as suitable for finding a date as any of the downtown clubs. Special points awarded for tight Levi's and line dancing.

Plus, the Little Red Barn is proficient in whiskey drinks. Looking back, it's whiskey more than anything that has helped me through the Meat Market's gooey and stinky. And, like tonight, helped me line dance. 

The Little Red Barn

No cover
6222 197th Ave. SW, Rochester
360.273.5439