Regas Restaurant closing for good (Knoxville: insurance, home, construction)

[kamoshika]

Regas Restaurant, a long-standing culinary institution that survived the Great Depression and served meals for nine decades in downtown Knoxville, will close at the end of the year.

Bill Regas, the iconic eatery's 81-year-old proprietor, called the restaurant his "pride and joy. We wanted so badly to keep it going."

But the family-owned restaurant at 318 N. Gay St. fell on hard times, struggling through multiple road construction projects, recession and increased competition that sprang up amid the redevelopment of downtown.
Regas closing after nine decades » Knoxville News Sentinel

[hiknapster]

Wow. This is awful. I love that restaurant.

I can personally attest to road construction absolutely ruining a family business.

[calvinbama]

I'll have to try it out before they close. I drive by here every morning on the way to work and it looked like they were painting the place and fixing up some of the windows. I guess they were getting it ready to be put on the market. They should hire a forensic accountant to figure out lost revenue due to road construction. My first cousin did a lot of work like this in Tuscaloosa, AL when they were redoing the sidewalks along the university strip

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by calvinbama

I'll have to try it out before they close. I drive by here every morning on the way to work and it looked like they were painting the place and fixing up some of the windows. I guess they were getting it ready to be put on the market. They should hire a forensic accountant to figure out lost revenue due to road construction. My first cousin did a lot of work like this in Tuscaloosa, AL when they were redoing the sidewalks along the university strip

I am interested in this. I looked into filing a claim through our insurance, but because it is not a disaster that affected my business, it will not hold up. I have an appointment with SCORE this week, but I think that there is little that can be done other than hold on until it is completed, if we can. I think we will have lost it all by then, though.

Regas has been in business a long time, and if they couldn't do anything about it, I doubt anyone else can. I believe they were the oldest operating restaurant in Tennessee. I think they would still serve a good dinner even though they are going out of business, based on pride.

[NJDevil]

Yup, u are correct, they are the oldest in TN. I got one of those restaurant.com certifs there & I hope we can use it before they close. That really sucks. Appreciate the thread.

[hiknapster]

They will be open through New Year's, he said, and also on Sundays, which is unusual. Go while you can!

[snapdragon]

Have any of you eaten there? I did a year ago, it was so medicore at best. The construction is not the problem. I'm not the only one who thinks this. I talked to a few other people and they all thought the food was disappointing.

But of course this is my opinion.

[hiknapster]

Yes, I've eaten there; many times. I loved the food. Their scallops and steaks are wonderful and their stuffed mushrooms are spot on. Their Boston Baked Schrod is exactly like home as is their Inaugural Clam Chowder and I have no idea how I will survive without their bread. I forget who had the special lamb leg on Easter...but they loved it.

I loved their old-world service. Sadly, that etiquette is severely lacking in most restaurants today.

I would never recommend an establishment if I hadn't actually been there. That would be ridiculous. And I suspect you are referring to me since no one else in this thread said they loved Regas.

[Brian]

What a shame they are going to close.

Do the Regas family still operate another restaurant chain called Grady's with two locations at North Peters road and near Sutherland avenue?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Brian

What a shame they are going to close.

Do the Regas family still operate another restaurant chain called Grady's with two locations at North Peters road and near Sutherland avenue?

Bought by Brinker International in 1989.

Brinker International, Inc. -- Company History