Nashville-based O'Charley's to open in Cape

Business Today

O'Charley's Restaurant is set to open May 27 on the property to the west of Ruby Tuesday on Route K in Cape Girardeau.

"That's what we're hoping," said Les Lockhart, vice president of real estate development for O'Charley's, which is headquartered in Nashville. "Right now we're in the permitting stage. That's our date if we can get the building permit when we think we can."

Some dirt work has begun for the 6,766-square-foot building that will seat 275 people. The mostly brick building will have a mural inside that has local history depicted on it.

The building should go up sometime in January, Lockhart said.

The business will employ between 120 and 130 full- and part-time workers.

O'Charley's has opened 181 restaurants in 14 states throughout the Southwest and lower Midwest. The chain has restaurants in St. Louis and Paducah, Ky.

It has been described by people who have eaten there as similar to Applebee's.

"It's a casual-theme, American-fare restaurant," Lockhart said. "We have hand-cut and aged steaks. We make our own rolls, our own salad dressings. All of our produce is brought in fresh from our commissary twice a week from here in Nashville." They also offer burgers, chicken and pasta dishes. There will be a bar.

Not including site development, the building will cost between $800,000 and $900,000 to build.

Lockhart said they have been looking at Cape Girardeau for the past few years.

"We think it has a great regional draw," he said. "It's got the big-box stores, the hospitals and a number of motels and the interstate. It's a big draw."

BT/Jim Obert