What's Next?

On this episode of What’s Next?, Reeves Kirtner sits down with Nate Randolph, the founder of HÜCK Food & Spirits, Harvest Hall, and the upcoming NJ Randolph Distilling in Huntington. With a background in architecture and design, Nate personally handled much of the construction of the space, created the menu and recipes himself, and developed the spirits that will eventually be produced at Huntington’s first distillery. The conversation covers where the idea for the restaurant and distillery came from, why Nate chose his location on 4th Avenue, the challenges of opening a restaurant and distillery from the ground up, and the response from the community since opening. Nate also shares the story behind his passion for distilling and what customers can expect moving forward.

In this episode of What’s Next, Reeves unveils the full lineup for the summer edition of 9th Street Live. The popular downtown concert series returns Friday, May 22, kicking things off with Joslyn and the Sweet Compression, setting the tone for another great summer of live music, good community vibes and unforgettable summer nights.

In this episode, Reeves talks with Rachel Catherine Allinder from the Foundry Theater about the growing arts scene in Huntington and the vision behind the city’s unique performance venue located inside City Hall.They discuss how the theater came to life, the types of events now happening there, and how it’s helping support artists, performers, and audiences across the Tri-State region.Rachel also shares details about the return of the Appalachian Film Festival, a celebration of filmmakers and stories from across Appalachia. Learn what makes a film “Appalachian,” what audiences can expect at the festival, and why events like this matter for the region’s creative future.

If you live in Huntington, you’ve probably seen the posts.From breaking news and community debates to restaurant updates and local happenings, Alligator Jackson’s Inside Huntington has become one of the most visited Facebook pages in town — now closing in on 60,000 followers.But who is the person behind the page?In this episode of What’s Next?, Reeves Kirtner sits down with the man known as Alligator Jackson to talk about where the name came from, what inspired him to start the page, and when he realized it was starting to take off.They discuss the praise, the criticism, and what it’s really like running a platform with that much engagement in a city the size of Huntington.Is he stirring the pot? Or simply creating a space where conversations were already happening?There’s a story behind the posts and behind the name. In this episode, we go beyond the comment section and meet the person who built it.Chomp on.

On this episode of What’s Next?, Reeves Kirtner sits down with Parry Casto, aka "Funkle Sam," founder of Huntington’s Funktafest and lead singer of The MFB. What began as an idea to bring more groove-driven music to the region has grown into a signature fall tradition at Ritter Park. Now celebrating its 10th edition and a two-day event, Funktafest continues to build momentum in Huntington. Parry shares the origin story of the event, the early conversations that helped bring it to life, and the challenges behind producing and growing a live festival. They discuss what it takes to book talent, build community support, manage risk, and decide when it’s time to go bigger.