Cracker Barrel to open on Monday

TAKING AN ORDER: Jessica Gregory takes food orders from Keri Murray, facing forward, and Amber Murray, center. Staff photo by Amy Banton.

City officials, press and other members of the community got a preview of the new Cracker Barrel, which will officially open for business early Monday morning.

Employees were buzzing around the restaurant, taking orders, answering questions and giving tours around the country store Friday morning.

Mark Guy, the restaurant's general manager, has been with Cracker Barrel for about 15 years, spending 10 of those at an Atlanta location. Guy said, 45 days ago, the site was just a slab of concrete and a building frame. Now it's finally complete and ready for business.

"It's really exciting," he said. "It's nice to see it all come together."

The new restaurant and country store, located at 2364 Whiskey Road, was approved by Aiken City Council in December 2010, and construction began in late August. A total of 185 people were hired by the new business and have been training for about two weeks, according to Associate Manager John Baker.

"We're pretty proud about bringing jobs to Aiken," Baker said, adding that they saw more than 3,000 applications.

A hearty breakfast sampler of hashbrown casserole, grits, eggs, buttermilk biscuits and gravy, ham, sausage, a strip of bacon and fried apples was served to those present Friday.

The restaurant, which can seat 177 customers, is embellished with an array of antique decor, and each table included the classic triangular peg puzzle.

The lights that hang above resembled the vintage oil lamps. Jeff Sarokas, an associate manager, said those lights have motion detectors and will dim if there is little to no action on one part of the restaurant, helping them save on energy costs and being a little more green.

The store is complete with both Clemson and USC products, old-fashioned candies, classic toys, lotions and soaps, candles, music CDs and more. The restaurant's porch includes the rocking chairs and cloth checker boards seen at all Cracker Barrel restaurants.

Heather Bradley, the store manager, said they have many great and unique gift items in their retail section.

"We're just really excited to be here, and we would like to be everybody's shopping destination now that we're here in Aiken," Bradley said.

The Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce was at the new business and brought its large, wooden scissors for a ribbon cutting that was held in front of the stone fireplace.

"It's beautiful," said Chamber President and CEO J. David Jameson with a big smile. "It's just what we expected."

The first Cracker Barrel opened in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., and there are now more than 600 locations in 42 different states. The Aiken location is the 24th Cracker Barrel in South Carolina.

Sarokas said the business is ecstatic with the support and excitement from the community.

"We are just overwhelmingly pleased with the response from Aiken," Sarokas said. "It has been everything short of a ticker-tape parade."

The store will open its doors Monday at 6 a.m.

Amy Banton is the city beat reporter and has been with the Aiken Standard since May 2010. She is a native of Rustburg, Va., and a graduate of Randolph Macon Woman's College.

Follow Aiken Standard on facebook and twitter for breaking news, updates, weather, traffic, and more.

Share with us! Email your story to mystory@aikenstandard.com, or send photos and videos to editorial@aikenstandard.com.