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Tennessee Eateries

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Longhorn Restaurant
Chattanooga, TN

2021:
2026:
The Longhorn Restaurant opened in 1959 and closed in 2024. In 2025, the building was renovated and opened in 2026 as Build-a-Salad. The pole sign's panels were replaced. [map]

former Nikki's Drive-in [gone]
Chattanooga, TN
Nikki's Drive-in opened in 1942 and closed in 2020. The neon sign was gone when these photos were taken in 2021. The building was demolished by 2022 for a new condo development. For more, see this website.

Copper Cellar
Knoxville, TN
The Copper Cellar steak house opened in 1975 and is still operating. [map]

former Mahalia Jackson Chicken
Memphis, TN
2007: 2010:
This Mahalia Jackson Glori-Fried Chicken restaurant was built in the late 1960s or 1970s. The chain had about 135 locations in Chicago, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Detroit, Dallas, and elsewhere. There were at least five locations in Chicago, five in Memphis, and two in Detroit. The first location opened in Memphis in 1968 but that building is gone now. The last operating location in Nashville closed in 2008. This building now houses a car repaire shop. I only know of two other buildings like this that have survived: another one in Memphis and one in Tallahassee, FL. For more, see this website. [map]

Tops Bar-B-Q
3353 Summer Ave.
Memphis, TN		 Tops Bar-B-Q
4183 Summer Ave.
Memphis, TN
Tops Bar-B-Q was founded in 1952 and they now have 14 locations, 11 of them in Memphis. The two shown here, both on Summer Ave., are their oldest remaining locations.

The 3353 Summer Ave. location closed in 2024 after a fire. It is expected to reopen at some point. For more, see this website. [map]

The 4183 Summer location is housed in a former Roy Rogers building. [map]

Elliston Place Soda Shop
Nashville, TN
2010: 2026:
The Elliston Place Soda Shop opened in 1939 and is the oldest, continuously operating restaurant in Nashville. In 2021, the restaurant moved next door. Many details were transferred over from the old building and others were replicated to keep the feel of the original space. The neon sign was replicated then by Joslin & Son Signs. For more, see this website. [map]

former Red Barn
Nashville, TN		 former Red Barn
Nashville, TN
There were 300-400 Red Barn restaurant locations in 19 states built from 1961-1988. Although there are no operating locations left, many of the buildings have been adapted. For more, see this website.

The first former Red Barn shown above has housed RiMel's Liquor Store and More since around 2017. [map]

The second former Red Barn shown above has housed Kebab Gyros since at least 2007. [map]

former Maryland Fried Chicken
Nashville, TN
The Maryland Fried Chicken chain was founded in Orlando in 1961. The first of their 35-foot-tall signs was installed then. The chain grew to around 200 locations in Florida, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and possibly other states. There were 160 locations left in 1975 when the chain folded.

The location in Nashville was built in 1969. The building has housed the Nashville Biscuit House since at least 2009. Before that, it housed the Knife and Fork restaurant. For more, see this page. [map]

Snowbird Mountain Coffee Co.
Newport, TN		 Shelbyville Popcorn Stand
Shelbyville, TN
The Snowbird Mountain Coffee Co. has five locations. This drive-thru location occupies a trolley car from Maine that was shipped to Newport in the 1980s for Snowbird. After restoration and remodeling, it opened in 2020. [map]

The Shelbyville Popcorn Stand was built in the 1930s. It was restored in 2023. [map]

Tennessee
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