Cart Barn back in business

Published 6:30 pm Thursday, April 5, 2018

Cart Barn Grill is back open for business.

The restaurant closed at its previous location on Whitesville Road three days before Christmas and opened on Jefferson Street Monday. Even though it’s been less than a week since it reopened, the new location has seen a lot of customers.

“(It’s) better than I thought it was going to be. We didn’t advertise,” owner Tony Bishop said.

The restaurant’s new location is a little larger than where they previously operated on Whitesville Road, according to Shawn Bishop, Tony’s son.

“I think it’s great, I think the location’s good,” said customer Dexter Jennings. “I like the building so far, and I heard they got more tables, which they need.”

The restaurant was sent a notice to vacate its former location by Jan. 31, 2018. The property is owned by Selig Enterprises, which is overseeing a development that is expected to include a 500-acre shopping center.  In a previous interview with the LaGrange Daily News, Bishop said Selig offered to put him in a new building, but he declined the offer because he was debt free.

“I wanted to be retired, but we had to try to get something going for my son so he can have a business and retirement wasn’t in the books,” Bishop said

The restaurant still has its golf theme, one of the biggest selling points to customers. Longtime  customers Tammy Beall and Jennie Cash said they had been waiting for Cart Barn to reopen.

“We missed them,” Beall said.

Cash said they heard about the restaurant’s reopening on Facebook.

“Thank you to the citizens of LaGrange for responding to us as fast as they did, and we look forward to serving them for the next few years,” Bishop said.

Cart Barn’s new location is at 625 Jefferson Street.

“Don’t close again,” Cash said. “I’m happy for this side of town getting more things going on.”