At Mutt’s Last Stand, Musicians Find a Home in Smithville

By Kristen Meriwether, Publisher

It’s Thursday in Smithville, and the parking lot at Mutt’s Last Stand is packed for Open Mic Night. Signups started at noon, and drew a mix of country singers, comedians, and even a soon-to-be-published poet.

Everyone will perform on the stage in the corner, which features a professional sound system, stage lights, and a red velvet rope to keep the audience at bay.

After performing solo acts earlier in the night, Ace Ahlbrandt, 16, and his friend Jansen Landers, 18, both from Smithville, decided to team up for a duo. They had been practicing together at Mutt’s, and it gave Ahlbrandt the opportunity to test out his new box drum.

With their family looking on and cheering from the audience, Ahlbrandt and Landers belted out two songs and even sang “Old McDonald” for Ahlbrandt’s baby nephew as an encore.

They’ve only been open since Aug. 2, but Mutt’s Last Stand is already gaining a reputation as the “musicians bar” in town. It’s a place where anyone can step on a stage, grab the mic, and feel like a star.

“We have probably two hours of live music in here every day,” co-owner Nicole Stanley said in an interview on Wednesday, adding it’s not planned shows, but musicians meeting each other and showing up to play. “If somebody wants a space to play music, whether they want people to be around or not, they have a space to do it.”

That sense of openness extends to her husband and co-owner, Dave Stanley, a musician whose drum kit and collection of guitars line the stage. While his tattooed appearance may intimidate some, Dave is a gentle soul who enjoys mentoring young musicians on how to get on stage, sing into a microphone, and stand under stage lights.

When 9-year-old Cassidy Ruff took the stage on Thursday, Dave was there to help her through the mic check and offer words of encouragement to quiet her nerves.

Since they stay open late, Mutt’s has adopted many of the regulars from Charlie’s Bar, which closed earlier this year. But unlike Charlie's, Mutt’s does not allow smoking inside.

While this ruffled a few feathers initially, having to go outside and smoke serendipitously created opportunities for regulars to chat with each other. And the friendships have blossomed.

“Now all these people that have been drinking together, essentially for years, but never even shook each other's hands, are now friends, and they're all coming to hang out,” Nicole said.

A Bigger Mission 

The sense of community the Stanleys have built inside Mutt’s isn’t confined to the bar. It extends to their lives outside of Smithville, where their compassion takes on a very different form.

Two years ago they started The Bully Sanctuary in Shiner to rescue and rehabilitate pit bulls who were either dumped or deemed unadoptable due to aggressive behavior. The nonprofit was featured at the Charity Circle on the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

All the profits from Mutt’s Last Stand go to The Bully Sanctuary.

Nicole and Dave currently care for 25 dogs on their ranch while working full-time, seven days a week at the bar. It’s a lot of work, but after seeing the conditions many of the dogs were in, the extra effort to provide them with a loving home is worth it.

“That's why we call it a sanctuary, as opposed to a rescue, because it's a place for dogs where they can heal and rehabilitate, level out and normalize,” Dave said. “And someone's going to love them and tell them good morning every day, and give them kisses and tell them good night every night.”

Back in Smithville, that same spirit of kindness shows up every day at Mutt’s. Whether it’s a shy 9-year-old finding the courage to step up to the mic and sing, two friends finding their rhythm with some new instruments, or longtime locals making new connections, the Stanleys have built more than a bar. They’ve built a safe haven for anyone who walks through the door.

“People tell us–and it sounds weird–but they tell us all the time that it feels safe. For a random person you've never met to come in and hang out for a couple hours sitting at the bar, and then say, ‘You know what, I feel really safe here,’” Nicole said. “That's a weird thing to say, but we've heard it more than once.”