The Country Gentleman, located at 26 Chateau Drive, has closed its doors after more than three decades of serving customers in Rome and Floyd County. (Daniel Varnado RN-T.com)
The restaurant, which was originally located at 3989 Martha Berry Highway in Armuchee, opened in 1978. It relocated to the East Rome location in 1993 following a fire that caused extensive damages to the original building.
The restaurant specialized in seafood, steaks and Italian specialty dishes.
It was the only upscale restaurant located within a stone’s throw of seven major hotels near the intersection of Chateau Drive and U.S. 411 East and had been a multiple winner of the Rome News-Tribune People’s Choice awards through the years. It has also been featured in the Fine Dining, Georgia Style Cookbook.
“We appreciate the people of Floyd County and Rome who supported us for all these years,” owner John Thomas said. “I wish I could shake their hands and say thank you to everyone of them individually.”
Linda Smith at the Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau said she was saddened that a locally owned business, which has been around for more than three decades, is gone.
“I think it is a great location,” Smith said. “I certainly hope that there will be a future for that restaurant because there are a lot of people surrounding there that it would be convenient for them to have lunch or dinner.”
As it turns out, it was location that Thomas blames for his loss of business in recent years. He traces his problems all the way back to the closure of the Holiday Inn Skytop Center.
“Over here we don’t have anything to draw. It’s strictly a destination restaurant,” Thomas said. “Right now people go to Broad Street or Turner McCall. It’s so busy down there.”
Morgan Ayers, of Re/Max of Rome, said that the Thomas family had listed the business with his agency for several months last year before taking it off the market. The restaurant was put back on the market before Christmas.
Rome is full of good christian business people who are willing to break one off in the trusting public. I'll continue to do my shopping in Cobb county.
But times have change... There are many more chain restaurants and many of the Country Gentleman old timer regulars have passed on. The Country Gentleman has also not changed with the times. The atmosphere and customer service were lacking. And only seemed to get worse over time.
As far as another restaurant opening up in that location...I wouldn't count on it...it would be too hard to start a new restaurant in that location. And no national chain would even consider Chateau Drive. This building will probably
be dumped by the bank and sold for an alternative use.
As a community we need to try to help our locals survive. Which means shopping local, eating local and using local medical and other services. We don't want to be a community with only national chain retail stores and restaurants. So when possible Shop Rome!!
Also surprised they sold us a gift certificate on 12/23. They had to know they were closing at that point.
Anyone have contact information for the owners? I'd like to know if there's recourse to get a refund.
No real people could be this messed up, could they?
This was always one of the best restaurants in Rome. Sad to see a longtime family-owned business go under, especially one with such great food.
I am, in fact, a former Roman. I will try to figure out how to change my screen name and use a different one from now on. Original Former Roman: my apologies for any unintentional breach of web etiquette.
But while we're on the subject, Voter, you could have brought it to my attention in a less rude manner.