A restaurant and event space that serves as both a culinary destination and testament to the power of spontaneity, The 1910 is more than a business— it’ s a labor of love rooted in Southern West Virginia.
Becoming a restaurant owner is rarely a linear path, but for Joanna and Rafael, it began with a stroke of serendipity. One evening while waiting for their kids to finish a workout session, Joanna and Rafael noticed a sign for an upcoming auction on a historic downtown building they had always loved.
“ As it turned out, the auction was scheduled for that very evening,” Joanna says,“ On a bit of a whim, we logged on together and placed a bid. To our surprise, we ended up winning.”
The gravity of this purchase set in as she and Rafael crossed the threshold of the vacant building. Built in 1910,
the structure carried the architectural weight of a century.
“ As we stepped inside the building and began to get a feel for its history, we both felt inspired by its character,” Joanna says.“ What started as a spontaneous decision soon became a shared dream to create a full-service restaurant that would bring new life to the space while honoring its past.”
Before learning the ins and outs of the restaurant world, Joanna and Rafael navigated very different professional landscapes. Joanna brought a background in teaching, art and design to the table, while Rafael, a family practice physician assistant, already understood the demands of local business ownership through his private practice.
“ While our careers were not originally in hospitality, we both had a strong appreciation for great food, thoughtful decision and the way meaningful spaces bring people together,” Joanna says.“ Opening The 1910 allowed us to combine his business sense, my love for cooking and our shared love for our hometown.”
The transition from treating patients to hosting guests was bridged by their shared identities as foodies and seasoned travelers. They aimed to bring the refined experiences they had abroad back to the mountains they call home.
To the residents of Logan, the building isn’ t just a restaurant— it’ s
Photo by Josh Baldwin, Havenbrook Media.
Photo by Josh Baldwin, Havenbrook Media.
WWW. WVEXECUTIVE. COM SPRING 2026 117