The Canopy Bistro and Bar offers an all-new concept in an old Florida location
Three Oaks Pub might have been the classic roadside bar. With the emphasis on roadside.
Now under new ownership, and with new branding, a new name and a makeover, the property at 3505 U.S. Highway 301, still retains it’s old-Florida feel, with a busy road just a few feet from its front door.
Whitney Watson, owner of The Canopy Bistro and Bar, explains that the two-story building was a gasoline service station when it was built in 1954. But that only lasted two years. When U.S. 301 was widened almost to the business’ front entrance, the gasoline pumps had to be removed.
After that it became a bar and an Ellenton landmark, taking its name from the huge oak trees on the property.
“We were here first,” Watson said of the business’ odd location next to the highway.
Watson acquired the property just prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020 and continued to operate it as Three Oaks Pub. Mary Wollerman had been the previous owner for 34 years.
In the 1960s and 1970s, before Wollerman’s tenure, the bar was called The Dry Dock. In the 1940s, Haley Bar turned the taps in that location. Across the street, where a Racetrack gasoline station is located now, there was a grapefruit grove.
About a month ago, Watson rolled out The Canopy Bistro and Bar after completing renovations to brighten and update the building. But she used a light touch to preserve the building’s 1950s service station and bar heritage.
“We tried to retain the original windows from the 1950s, including one with a bullet hole,” Watson said.
The Canopy, so named because of the majestic oaks on the property, still has its service station garage doors and original concrete floor.
The floor was a special project, with much cracking due to tree roots running under the building, requiring workers to ground and polish the concrete.
An older house that sat on the back of the property was removed, opening up a park-like shaded space and lots of room for outdoor seating and a beer garden.
Larry Bustle, a retired Air Force colonel, former mayor of Palmetto, and former county commissioner, left the area after graduating from Manatee County High School in 1953 for the Naval Academy.
“Ellenton was just a wide spot in the road, like my home in Samoset,” Bustle recalls. Back then, the total population of Manatee County was about 35,000. Today, the population is about 400,000.
The Canopy today offers a different experience, Watson said.
“We do a lot of microbrewery beers and craft cocktails. And we have good bistro food. If you’re looking for a greasy spoon, we’re not that place,” Watson said.
The Canopy offers a selection of snacks and handhelds, such as sliders, tacos, Cuban sandwich, and flat breads.
Watson is a native of Manatee County, and a gradute of Palmetto High School. Prior to buying The Canopy property, she sold real estate and owned a hair saloon. She and Matt, her husband of 30 years, have three grown children.
Their oldest daughter, Rachel Penico, works in the business handling marketing and the craft cocktails. Their second daughter, Shelly Watson Smith, is a first lieutenant in the U.S. Space Force. Their son, Mathew, is an entrepreneur, selling real estate and doing home remodeling.
“We live in this neighborhood. This is a neighborhood bar and grill. When it came open for sale, we felt we needed to buy it,” Watson said.
The business is family friendly and open for lunch and dinner 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. The Canopy is closed Sunday and Monday.
The Canopy Bistro and Bar has live music every Friday 6:30-9:30 p.m. and special events such as markets, workshops, tastings and more.
The Canopy is available for birthdays, Christmas parties, receptions and other special events.
Check its website for a full live music and event schedule at www.thecanopybistroandbar.com/live-music. For more information, call 941-479-7211.
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 12:49 PM.
