After receiving word last week from a ToNeTo Atlanta reader that the Cherokee Cattle Company restaurant in Marietta was closed for good, we sought to verify the rumor. We ended up with more questions than answers. The restaurant, a Marietta mainstay for nearly four decades, has been closed since March 23, 2020, at which time the restaurant indicated via a Facebook post that it would be "closed until further notice." In the months since, the restaurant has made several additional posts and responded to countless comments where it indicates it's "under renovation" and "will reopen soon."
The most recent post to the restaurant's Facebook page was on December 22, where they indicated they "are still in the transition of remodeling."
Located at 2710 Canton Road, Cherokee Cattle Co. (CCC) first opened in 1982, and was purchased by Constantine "Gus" Tselios and business partner Jerry Tillem in 2007. Cobb County property records indicate that that not only does Tselios own the restaurant, but through Prince & Angels, LLC, he also owns the nearly 10,000 square foot building and more than one acre parcel on which the restaurant is located. Tselios and Tillem completed an extensive renovation and expansion of the restaurant in 2011.
Our attempts to get official comment from anyone at the group were unsuccessful, but a source with direct knowledge of the owner's plans tells ToNeTo Atlanta that the current plan is to reopen "in the spring." [Both Google and Yelp, which one would think could be corrected if inaccurate, show the restaurant as "permanently closed."]
It's worth noting, though, that while the Cherokee Cattle Co. website is down, the facebook page has been silent since the end of 2020, and there is no visible work at the restaurant, the owners did again renew the annual registration of the company "Cherokee Steakhouse, INC." with the Georgia Secretary of State for 2021. The registration, $50 annually, keeps the business active and in compliance with the state and would allow the owners to easily reopen if/when they decide to do so. The registration, completed February 5, still lists Jerry Tillem as CEO, despite the fact that he died in late 2015.
Several other Atlanta area restaurant groups including Southern Proper Hospitality, Marlow's Tavern, Ted's Montana Grill, Fork U Concepts and Farm Burger, among others, have over the past year permanently closed restaurants in an effort strengthen themselves for the future. The fact that Tselios owns the CCC site likely provides him greater flexibility than many other operators, but as we approach the one year anniversary of its "temporary" closure, one has to wonder what's taking so long.
Do you you think Cherokee Cattle Company will reopen? Have you seen any sign of life at Cherokee Cattle Company in the past six months? What is your favorite Marietta Family Restaurants concept?
Please share your thoughts below.