Following in the footsteps of fellow artists like Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley and Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts have taken the steps to enter the restaurant business, opening their own eatery.
While the venture has been talked about since 2012, the first of the restaurants is finally set to open in Cleveland, in May—relatively close to the release of the trio’s new album, Back To Us, set to drop May 19.
“Well, they’re building the first one right now in Cleveland,” Jay tells Nash Country Daily. “It’s supposed to be open by the end of May, actually.”
“I think LA next,” adds Gary. “And then there’s one in Connecticut too that’s on it’s way.”
But don’t expect the trio’s restaurants to be like your typical honky-tonk bars.
“It’s like a concert venue,” explains Jay. “You can do live music in there. It’s just an American bar and restaurant. The menu is influenced by the three of us and some of our favorites that our families made over the years.”
“It’s place where we would want to go to,” adds Joe Don.
“It’s really going to be fun family atmosphere, says Gary. “It’s just going to be great. It’s not like Toby’s, Honky Tonk bar.
“It’s more like a Jay Alexander’s with a stage in it,” jokes Jay. “With memorabilia here and there. We’re excited about it. We’re not running it. There’s a group that came to us and pitched us this idea to license our names.”
“God. Can you imagine if we tried to run it on our own,” laughs Joe Don. “That place would be a wreck.”
And as for the name? We bet the guys didn’t have to think long and hard about what to call the new restaurant.
“It’s called Rascal Flatts Bar and Grill. Just so there’s no confusion,” laughs Jay. “‘Are we in the right place? Where’s that restaurant the Flatts were opening up?’
Look out for the Rascal Flatts Bar and Grill coming soon to a city near you—If you live in Cleveland, Los Angeles or Stamford, Conn.
