Caleb and Alex Gregory, a couple from Middle Tennessee, surprisingly found themselves as the new owners of a charming restaurant in Beechgrove, Tennessee. After relocating to the area with their two sons, Levi and Lane, they fell in love with the original family-owned country restaurant off Highway 41 in Beechgrove’s delicious homemade biscuits. The Gregorys knew they had to preserve this community gem when the business went up for sale.
“At the time, Levi, our oldest son, was 2, and he just started calling it the biscuit store. We drove by, and he would yell that he wanted to stop for a biscuit.”
Eventually, the Gregory family shared this delicious gem with their parents and grandparents, and it became a family tradition to feast on some of the best biscuits in town.
“Eventually, our whole family fell in love with these biscuits and started eating them every day.”
In August 2022, they purchased and transformed the historic building into Gregory’s Beechgrove Country Store & Kitchen. During renovations, they uncovered stunning original walls from 1938, now proudly displayed. The cozy eatery offers a warm, nostalgic atmosphere and a menu that reflects their family’s tastes, including items named after their sons.
“We had just relocated and dug our roots and planned on being out here until the boys were out of school. So we were heartbroken that the only place here for the community might go away because you don’t know who would potentially buy it. So really, the only thing we knew to do was just jump in there and buy it and do our best to keep it open,” Alex said.
She continued, “I wanted our boys when they got old enough to drive on the way to school, stop in and get a biscuit and still see the farmer sitting at a table talking. Unless we bought it and made sure it was a safe place that would continue to serve the community, we couldn’t guarantee that that would happen.”
The store’s warm environment provides comfort and a Southern charm and style, similar to Cracker Barrel. It’s a place that may remind you of your summer visits to “mom and pop” restaurants with your grandparents after school lets out.
The couple introduced Fish Fry Fridays, featuring mouthwatering Southern, home-cooked catfish, and hush puppies. They also added their own flair to the menu, Caleb’s favorite — hot chicken.
Caleb’s love for Southern hot chicken led to the addition of a tasty hot chicken sandwich, perfected by Alex’s grandmother, who happens to be the main cook.
Their menu truly reflects their family, featuring newer items named after their two boys — Levi and Lane.
“‘Levi’ is a pancake breakfast plate. It comes with two massive pancakes. They look beautiful on a plate. And then the ‘Lane’ is an omelet with hashbrowns.”
Aside from Fish Fry Fridays, another popular tradition for the restaurant is its delicious home-cooked breakfast.
Caleb said, “A good portion of our people come here for breakfast.”
With a heartfelt commitment to their community, the Gregorys hope to continue delighting patrons with their delicious offerings. This family-run business has become a true community treasure, serving high-quality, home-cooked food while battling inflation, staffing issues, and many other challenges affecting business owners.
Before the couple married, Caleb often joked with Alex that he dreamed of sitting on his porch one day and looking at his cows.
A year after they were married, they bought their first farm. Initially hesitant about the transition, Alex fell in love with its serenity.
“We started to get into cattle. And then, once we had children, especially sons, we loved that they would be raised on a farm and understand the importance of caring for something other than yourself — animals,” Alex said.
The couple’s passion for farming and raising their children in a nurturing environment has fueled their commitment to providing exceptional service to their community. As they continue to grow and evolve, they hope to introduce live music and other exciting offerings while focusing on delicious, homemade dishes (and the town’s best home-cooked biscuits) that delight their patrons.
Alex remarked, “We had no idea if we were going to make it or break it on this or what kind of support we would have. But we knew that we felt like the community would be happy with something we could create, and we just went for it and hoped we were right, and they would support us.” GN
