He’s fun and funny and he can even sing, and he loves wit-to-wit interaction probably more than most. It’s the back-and-forth filled with intrigue he finds most entertaining, and if he can crack a good joke, he cracks a good joke.
And it doesn’t matter if he’s a barista, a bartender, or working with his wife, Bobby Rys is a gentleman you’ll be glad you met. He knows stuff most folks don’t, and he’s a cheerleader for everything that helps the sun to shine a little brighter. Now, that may sound a little too fairy tale and cornball, but he’ll immediately remind you of two things: 1) There’s nothing wrong with improving sunshine, and 2) negative people are not happy people.
The more you get to know this guy, though, the more you realize Rys is chasing something. It’s like a checklist with him but it’s certainly not selfishness in play. Are there nefarious motives? Not at all. Is it about survival? Well, sure it is. Is love involved? Indeed it is, for life, his wife, and for chasing his version of the American dream in his adopted town that’s trying to grow despite decades of decline.
Rys is a New Englander who still has a little of that northeast accent, but moving to the northern panhandle of West Virginia in 2016 has altered his world view so much that he now clearly sees his role in his new town’s rebuild.
So, a taco can be anything inside a tortilla?
In my opinion, SURE!
Tacos, like pizza and ice cream, come in a million different varieties because people have different palates. Taqueria 304 has “regular tacos” – hard tacos with beef/cheese/lettuce/salsa – and ALSO crazy fun things like the WV Surf & Turf, with delicious chipotle garlic shrimp, and crispy pork belly.
You can even build your own taco, telling us exactly what you want on it, (and for some really good customers, even which order to put them on).
What is it about people that allows you to like people so much?
This question makes me smile. I LOVE PEOPLE. I LOVE interacting with people, learning about them, gaining perspective, rifting one-liners, finding and growing connections. My Grampa Bob had a general store in Northampton, MA for nearly 40 years. I watched him work his butt off, six days a week, from 2-3 a.m. in the morning until 8:30 p.m. at night, with a smile.
He had THE BEST breakfast, awesome burgers, fries, and milkshakes. That place would be JUMPING between 5:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. most days of my childhood. “Smitty’s,” was a place where no one was a stranger, and it felt more like a blended family. My Gramp was THE GUY.
November 19th was Bob Jones Day in honor of his birthday. He was surrounded by people who knew/love/and respected him, because he was loving (without being one to say it), nonjudgmental, hardworking, and witty.
We ALL have the ability to make or break each other’s day with our energy in every interaction. A high tide rises ALL ships. I also feel like Wheeling, the Friendly City, formerly The Place of the Scalped Head, is a small enough town, that WE GET TO DECIDE what our culture is.
Are we nice? I say, why don’t we all TRY to be.
The three keys to a happy youth dancer in the Upper Ohio Valley are?
(For this question, Bobby thought it wise to defer to his wife, Taylor.)
I would say, inclusion.
At RSDA, I work really hard to divide my attention equally, give everybody as many opportunities to be seen and featured as I can and include everyone in their own ways. I think it’s really important that everyone has the chance to feel special and have their moment to shine.
Second, quality over quantity. I am big on this motto. I would rather have less dancers that I can focus more time on and building their skills, then hundreds of dancers that I’m not able to support in the ways that they need. We limit our class-size so that everybody is able to get the most out of their class time.
And balance. There has to be a balance of fun and structure. Kids learn best through play. We cannot play and waste our class time, but I work hard to incorporate play into every class plan so it’s still productive skill building while they’re having fun.
What are the positives to Wheeling’s streetscape project?
As a New Englander, the push towards preservation and revitalization is VERY EXCITING. Wheeling is a beautiful city that has seen some hard years, but is RICH in provenance and historical integrity. The ”Gateway to the West,” the first state capital, the Suspension Bridge … I’m in love with this town.
Wheeling has MANY Independent businesses that raise the quality of life, create job opportunities, generate revenue for the city, and are passionate about ushering in this era of downtown traffic with ability diversity. No one knew when these construction plans were made that we’d face an international pandemic, just to follow it with the years-long complications of construction. Surviving one would be tough, both is definitely coming across as overwhelming and perhaps unfair.
The many fixes happening around Wheeling, in my opinion, are necessary to both get with the times, and to fix decades of neglect. Support these small businesses like their life depends on it because not all of them will see it through this.
When all is finished, we will have this beautiful new city. I’ve often said that Wheeling is the most philanthropic place that I’ve ever lived in. We love to drink beers and write checks to support our community! Let’s shop with intent, and focus on supporting our MANY small businesses!
What do you need in your life to be happy?
Financial security would be amazing, BUT owning a home with a beautiful view, driving a newer car, traveling often, and being married to your dream girl is a pretty good start.
