Inside Truck Yard

The signage and décor at the entrance of Truck Yard hints at the building’s past life as an auto garage. Also out front is an independently operated ice-cream stand.

Low-budget operation

Much of the decor is repurposed junk: Old kegs serve as stools; the gutted Airstream trailer, now a bar, was a Craigslist find. The “Eat Here” marquee was made by rearranging the letters of a discarded warehouse sign. To save on food, Truck Yard sells only cheesesteaks out of the former garage space. A rotating cavalcade of food trucks dishes out sliders, hot dogs and more.

Organized chaos

To encourage the social vibe, lightweight metal and folding chairs can easily be moved around the open deck and yard. Servers have to keep up, says DeLoy. “You need flow and movement to make it feel like a party.”

Adults-only tree house

The elevated bar is “a showpiece,” says DeLoy. Guests get a bird’s-eye view while sipping pre-bottled cocktails. The hanging light fixture, one of many handmade design elements, features an old tire, beer bottles and an inverted bucket.

The walkway into Truck Yard was designed to evoke a sense of mystery as guests filter to the back, says DeLoy.

“We love to find and repurpose old junk,” DeLoy says. That includes turning old, discarded hubcaps and other scraps into fencing. The walls and fences add to the backyard feel and also help with noise control and privacy.

The old Airstream trailer, now a bar, was found on Craig’s List. Truck Yard added flamingo lights and other fun elements to liven it up. The concept also converted old truck beds into booths by adding benches and a reinforced table.

The stage for live music is built from a converted flatbed truck. To help control sound in the residential area, the lineup typically includes acoustic music with a bluesy, folksy feel. When there’s not live entertainment, a sound system plays hand-picked music throughout.

The wall of tires is mobile, sometimes serving as a sound barricade and other times as a barrier that blocks off private events and parties.

The building that now houses the bar was already standing, but Truck Yard had it gutted, reinforced the roof and put in a kitchen. It also added restrooms on the exterior of the building to accommodate the guests sitting outside.

The interior bar has a capacity of about 80. While most of the seating is outdoors, guests have the option to sit inside while drinking one of the beers on tap.