Covington (Kentucky)

Stevie’s roadhouse was a popular Cincy area destination with an enduring legacy

/ David Rotenstein / Leave a comment
Roadhouse owner Joe Stevie. Courtesy Bob and Joe Stevie.

Covington, Kentucky, may be one of the few places in the country where an ordinary conversation about a vacant downtown parking lot seamlessly segues into a discussion about bootlegging and gambling. That’s what happened earlier this year when developer Joe Stevie was describing the history of a lot at the corner of Scott and Pike streets.

“My great-great-uncle Joe owned a place called Stevie’s Roadhouse,” Stevie said in a January interview in his Covington office. “It was across the street from the Greyhound Grill in Fort Mitchell.”

Then Stevie’s story got really interesting. “So Joseph Stevie was shot by people coming to rob him. He was shot in his stomach [and] survived,” the contemporary Joe Stevie said.

Northern Kentucky’s Long History of Roadhouses

Stevie’s roadhouse was one of many roadhouses that sprang up around Covington and Newport in the years bracketing the turn of the 20th century. Located along highways leading into the cities, roadhouses began as places where travelers could find lodging, food, intoxicating beverages and maybe some entertainment.

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A conversation with Sister Janet

/ David Rotenstein / Leave a comment
Sister Janet Bucher, July 2025. Photo by David Rotenstein.

Sister Janet Bucher was one of the first people I met after moving to Covington, Kentucky, last summer. Before the move, I had subscribed to City of Covington email lists promoting future events in our new home. A historical marker dedication caught my eye.

I attended the event at Covington’s Church of Our Savior and quickly switched from new resident mode into journalist and historian mode. During the event, I shot photos and interviewed key participants, including the powerhouse who initiated the marker project: Sister Janet Bucher. Later that day, I pitched a story to a local newsroom and it came out a few weeks later.

After Sister Janet retired, I wrote about her life and career in a second article.

More interviews followed and it quickly became apparent that Sister Janet’s story is an important part of Covington’s history. I wanted to share the experiences beyond the printed page and I conceived a program that involved me interviewing Sister Janet before a live audience. The program took place Jan. 8 and it included the live interview, a brief slide show that illustrated her life in Covington and her career, and a discussion with the audience.

A Conversation with Sister Janet, Jan. 8, 2026.

The program is available on YouTube. Additional copies will be donated to the Kenton County Public Library’s Local History & Genealogy Department.