Calhoun’s Restaurant coming to Maryville
By Iva Butler | (ivab@thedailytimes.com)
The Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants announced Thursday that a Calhoun’s Restaurant will be locating in the former Marlin and Ray’s on Watkins Road in Maryville, bringing with it 75 to 100 jobs.
The new eatery will be located beside Smoky Mountain Brewery, another restaurant in the Copper
Cellar family, which is in the same retail development as the Target and Kroger stores just off the U.S. 129 Bypass.
Bart Fricks, chief operating officer of the Copper Cellar chain, said he would like to open the new restaurant in late summer or early fall, depending upon when the architectural drawings are completed and the city of Maryville approves the plans. The project architect is Daryl Johnson of Knoxville.
Fricks envisions constructing a deck on the back side of the current structure and adding a banquet room on the side.
The building first housed a Ruby Tuesday, and then Marlin and Ray’s, which was closed in January.
Having a Calhoun’s beside a Smoky Mountain Brewery is a natural fit,” Fricks said. “People can dine at Calhoun’s and then go next door and enjoy a microbrew at Smoky Mountain Brewery, It just works well.”
There are three other locations where the two restaurants are side by side.
Maryville City Manager Greg McClain agreed, saying he expects Calhoun’s will “flourish” in that location since it can share a parking lot with its sister restaurant.
There are four Smoky Mountain Breweries and this will be the ninth Calhoun’s restaurant. Other Calhoun’s are located in Knoxville, Lenoir City, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Nashville.
The Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants also operates Copper Cellar, the company’s first eatery, Chesapeake’s and Cherokee Grill and Steakhouse.
