By David Rogers. January 20, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Amid cries of, "Well, I guess I better check out" and queries of "Whaddyathink?", Serves You Right! proprietor Karyn Herterich had a lot of men in her life Thursday night.

An estimated 35 Blowing Rock husbands and boyfriends filtered through Herterich's Southmarke store for the annual "Men's Only Valentine Party." Now some 11 years old, it has grown to become a popular and much anticipated event, giving "the guys" an opportunity to take some time off of their busy daily schedules to enjoy Herterich's "manfood" (extremely heavy hors d'oeuvres), see old friends, and network with new acquaintances.

"I love cooking for the guys," hostess-with-the-mostest Herterich told Blowing Rock News Thursday evening. "Despite a tougher global economy, men still like to let that special woman in their respective lives know that they are special, appreciated, loved. Especially in the more challenging business environment like all of our stores and companies are facing today, we have to get business where we can and, in doing so, we have to offer a variety of special products that say "you" without breaking the bank.

"We truly appreciate their support of Serves You Right! for these special occasions and throughout the year," Herterich continued, "but on this night, most of all we enjoy watching the guys meet and interact with their friends and peers. It is a really an eclectic mix of professions and personalities.

Laughing, Herterich said, "And I continue to learn that guys mostly enjoy 'Super Bowl Food," instead of the fussy stuff that might appeal to their wives and girlfriends.  I noticed that even though I renamed the little quiches, identifying them as 'tartlets', the guys still dissed them.  So things like that are going in the garbage and off the list for next year!  What did go well were the Asian meatballs, the roast beef and horseradish mini-sandwiches, the potstickers, and the mini-Cuban sandwiches.

"What a great time it was tonight with so many of our friends and neighbors dropping by," Herterich concluded. "We did the event a little earlier this year," she explained, "because Dieter and I are going to be in Charleston for much of February.  This is a special night and an even more special tradition.  We had to find time for the Men's Only Valentine Party, and we appreciate that many of the guys, on somewhat short notice, came out to enjoy the shopping, but also the food, fun and comraderies."

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