by Geoff Fox
Tucked in the side parking lot of Rock Gap Mercantile, Debra Melson has a small trailer where she’s been serving hot and cold subs, Reubens, and other sandwiches since May 2025.
Melson has been in the food business as a cook, chef, caterer, and other positions her whole life and has since retired.
A friend of hers opened the Rock Gap Mercantile store and suggested she open a food truck at the location along U.S. 522, south of Berkeley Springs and two miles north of Cacapon State Park, which is something she had thought about doing. 
It’s not full time and Melson and her husband do it whenever they want to do it, which is usually Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but that can vary.
For example, with the weather forecast for extreme heat this past weekend, Melson said the food truck might not open.
“It’s a holiday weekend, which wouldn’t matter, but it’s going to be over 100 degrees and sometimes in here, that’s just like a tin can in the sun,” she said.
Melson said there’s been good days and slow days, but she sees it as a hobby and is ok with those slow days.
“I just like feeding people,” Melson said.
And feed them she does.
The menu includes cold subs such as cold cut, Italian, turkey and/or ham; hot subs include steak and cheese, Valley Wagoneer (grilled chicken), and fried bologna; and other things like pulled pork, classic Reubens, chicken quesadilla, and the WV dog (all beef hot dog with chili, coleslaw, mustard, and onion).
She also has sides of coleslaw, chips, and mac and cheese.
There are specials and Melson said to keep an eye on the Valley Munch Wagon’s Facebook page for those.
She said the classic Reuben and steak and cheese hoagie have been customers’ favorites. People have also taken to the fried bologna sub as well, which has surprised Melson.
Melson has also had specials that normally don’t appear at food trucks such as shrimp scampi and meatloaf.
“People like food, so we change it up,” she said.
There are two tables where people can sit and enjoy their food while at the wagon.
Melson said she’s had five canopies, but the wind down Valley Road has destroyed them.
“It doesn’t matter how well we have them anchored, the wind in this valley is crazy,” she said.
Melson said the wagon stays at the Rock Gap site, but when she does take the food truck on the road, it’s usually something for the schools, charity, or “something like that.”
“We’re plugged in to electric here and if we go out, we have to take our big generator,” she said. “Just easier to stay set up here.”
Melson said the best way to keep up with Valley Munch is to watch that social media page as it will alert people when the wagon is open and the specials or changes are on the menu.
Melson said she enjoys meeting new people and seeing the regulars, but “I love when new people stop by and we’re able to talk to them a little bit if we’re not too busy.”
