Lookout Mountain residents have a new restaurant in town after last week’s grand opening of Guthrie’s on Scenic Highway next to the town common area.
“Guthrie’s is the original golden-fried chicken fingers,” said franchise owner and manager Will Garrett, who moved to Lookout Mountain a year and a half ago to search out a location.
“I looked around for a location I thought was just right,” said Garrett, who has been an entrepreneur all his life in an array of fields. “Lookout Mountain seemed to be in need of a restaurant.”
Guthrie’s co-owners Will and Amy Garrett are taking care of business at their Lookout Mountain grand opening.
Garrett and his wife, Amy, are from Birmingham, Ala., and bought the franchise early this year.
“I really love Chattanooga,” said Garrett. “This area is so beautiful and it has so much to offer.”
Besides chicken fingers, Guthrie’s menu includes a chicken finger sandwich, wings, garden salad, fried apple pie, lemon pie and Reese’s pie. Guthrie’s sells sweet tea by the gallon and, Garrett said, is known for its special dipping sauce.
Garrett said guests can call ahead and runners will deliver orders curbside. Soon Guthrie’s will offer home and business delivery.
“I’m hoping to reach the construction people on this mountain,” Garrett said. “Right now they have nowhere to eat.”
Other plans include a deal with Rock City and Ruby Falls. Garrett said he’ll also work with mountain school events.
“I’m a community-minded person,” said Garrett. “I hope to be of service to this community.”
Garrett said Guthrie’s began in 1965 in Haleyville, Ala. The founders, now friends of Garrett’s, first expanded to the Auburn University campus and then to the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga.
“Bulldog and Auburn fans from years ago ... they’re just telling everybody, ‘We love Guthrie’s. We survived on Guthrie’s in college,’” Garrett said.
Garrett has his own Guthrie’s survival story. A few years ago in Tuscaloosa, Ala., his daughter told him she’d have her baby that night if it meant she’d get some Guthrie’s. Garrett said he got on the phone right away, his granddaughter was born, and the founders provided Guthrie’s chicken fingers for the hospital staff for two straight days.
