What started as a little country store 60 years ago in Williamson County has evolved into a popular restaurant and music venue, now with three family-owned locations in three different counties. Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant will open the doors to its new downtown Columbia store this Wednesday, March 27. Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. at the 15 Public Square location.
Owner Andy Marshall said the concept for a Puckett’s on Columbia’s Main Street has been several years in the making, and that the grand opening will be a pivotal moment for the family.
“We have labored over finding the right location so that we could plug into the Columbia community, and this feels like a monumental day for us,” he said. “We’re excited to become a part of another thriving downtown scene whose star really seems be on the rise.”
Marshall, who owned several independent grocery stores before purchasing Puckett’s, said that he and his team have worked to maintain its original “mom and pop,” Southern vibe. Though it expanded into a restaurant and live entertainment venue several years ago, Puckett’s is known at both its downtown Franklin and downtown Nashville locations for home-cooked meals in a fun, familiar setting.
“We’ve tailored our dining experience and our live music towards our Puckett’s origins because we still wanted to maintain that feeling of sitting in your own kitchen,” he said. “This Columbia location will uphold the tradition of quality food that’s tied to our Tennessee roots, and a gathering spot for friends and family members to catch up or hear the results from a recent songwriting session.”
The former factory and warehouse building measures more than 26,000 square feet, and includes a second-floor event space that exceeds 8,000 square feet. In addition to a first-floor dining room with two private areas, Puckett’s will launch a creamery later this year that will serve homemade chocolate and vanilla ice cream in fresh-baked waffle cones.
To transform the three-story interior, the Marshall family worked with local builder Joe Whidby to craft hand-hewn tables and added the floor to ceiling grocery shelves that are becoming a Puckett’s hallmark. Williamson County “picker” William Powell helped to bring nostalgic elements, including old signs, photographs and memorabilia that celebrate Maury County’s history.
The location kicked off its operations with a sneak peek and neon sign-lighting ceremony on March 23. The grand opening event on Wednesday will include a ribbon cutting with the Maury County Chamber of Commerce at 10:45 a.m.
Puckett’s will host musicians on Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays. For more information about the restaurant, go to www.puckettsgrocery.com.
More about Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant:
With locations in downtown Franklin, downtown Nashville and downtown Columbia, the Puckett’s roots go way back to the 1950s, and a little grocery store in the village of Leiper’s Fork, Tenn. Ever since then, we’ve been focused on providing friends new and old with great food and Southern hospitality.
When it comes down to it, Puckett’s is a community kitchen, with live pickin’ performances just a few feet from your table. Authentic comfort food—barbecue smoked slow ‘n’ low over cherry wood, the home-cooked sides, even a few upscale dishes—is what Puckett’s aims for you to remember. For more information, go to www.puckettsgrocery.com.