Fans of a beloved Clarksville restaurant that closed its doors about four years ago, can enjoy some of their favorite flavors once again. Roy Smith opened his latest version of Cumberland Grille on Highway 12 in Henrietta, Tenn., on April 22, honoring a family tradition of homestyle cooking.
Smith had closed his business at 1503 Madison Street on Feb. 1, 2015, after losing his father to cancer. He and his dad had worked together in food service for many years. “My dad was one of the first franchisees for Shakey’s Pizza, and I worked for him when I was younger,” he explained. Shakey’s Pizza was founded back in the 1950s and was the first franchise pizza chain in the U.S., according to the company’s website.
When The Family Table restaurant’s owners closed their brick-and-mortar location in February to continue to pursue a thriving catering business, the opportunity for Smith to open a family-style restaurant in that space had arrived.
Ready for a new challenge, Smith said he was excited about getting back into the hard work of running a restaurant once again. “We’re trying to offer meals that everyone responds to, including meat-and-sides, burgers, chicken, and salads. We’ll add more as time goes on,” he added.
Smith is still seeking kitchen staff, particularly cooks, and anyone interested can stop by the restaurant during business hours to apply.
Cumberland Grille is located at 4198 Highway 12 and is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday.