Mayberry's getting a Cracker Barrel

Published: Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at 10:41 AM.

MOUNT AIRY -- A Cracker Barrel restaurant is on the menu for Mount Airy, city government sources say, which will serve up new jobs as well as home-style meals.

Rumors have swirled for months about such a development, leading to steps recently being undertaken through the Mount Airy Planning Department to make the new restaurant a reality. Construction is expected to begin in February at a site on U.S. 601 (Rockford Street) near its intersection with U.S. 52.

The plans have gone through and theyve been approved, city planner Andy Goodall said Tuesday regarding the restaurant. Goodalls work includes dealing with such projects, which must clear various regulatory hurdles.

I think theyve already gone through technical review, Mount Airy Community-Development Director Martin Collins said Tuesday of the plans by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.

The restaurant will be built on a 2.85-acre site at 1948 Rockford St., the longtime home of Merritt Supply and Mount Airy Saw and Mower, two businesses that have shared the same building. Officials of those operations earlier announced plans to open at a new location on North South Street by this Friday.

This paves the way for the new Cracker Barrel on Rockford Street/U.S. 601.

The anticipated start date of construction is February, now that Mount Airy Saw and Mower has moved out of that building, Goodall said.

Details on the number of jobs to be available at the restaurant were unavailable Tuesday, including from a Cracker Barrel representative who would only confirm that the project is in its early stages.

We are in the preliminary stage at this time and hope to have more information to report in the future, added Janella Escobar, a spokeswoman for the restaurant chain headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee.

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Mayberry's getting a Cracker Barrel