Cracker Barrel Heading to Lavonia

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Years of rumors have finally come true for the citizens of Lavonia.

At a called meeting Thursday afternoon, the Lavonia City Council voted unanimously to sell property on Ross Place to Cracker Barrel Old Country Restaurants, Inc.

After coming out of executive session, Lavonia City Manager Charles Cawthon asked the Council to vote.

Cracker Barrel plans to build its new restaurant on property where a topless bar, the Cafe Risque, once stood.

After years of legal battles, the City of Lavonia bought the bar and the property in 2008 and immediately tore it down, burning the sign on the property grounds.

Since then, Lavonia has been looking for a buyer for the land.

Over the years, rumors would circulate from time to time that Cracker Barrel was planning to put a restaurant on the Ross Place location, but they were always just rumors until now.

Lavonia Mayor Ralph Owens said that having a Cracker Barrel at the Exit 173 Interchange on Interstate 85 will be a boost to the local economy.

“We’ve been trying for eight years to get Cracker Barrel here and we’re very excited that it’s going to happen now,” Owens said. “We expect even more businesses to follow them at that interchange and for the area to really grow.”

Cawthon said they hope to close on the sale of the Ross Place property in two weeks.

There’s no word yet from Cracker Barrel on when it plans to start construction.