Posted on 02/05/2021 3:34:50 PM PST by buckalfa
GREENVILLE, SC (WSPA) – After Tommy’s Country Ham House owner Tommy Stevenson, Sr. announced the popular Greenville eatery would be closing its doors for good in May, many people in the Upstate community have come forward saying they hate to hear that the restaurant is closing.
But maybe not as much as Circuit Court Judge Charles Simmons and South Carolina Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge, who, in good humor, teamed up to issue a “permanent injunction” denying Stevenson’s request to retire and close the restaurant. South Carolina Highway Patrol Commanders Don Dickerson and Joe Hovis served Stevenson with the injunction.
According to the injunction, Simmons and Kittredge said “this matter is before the Court based upon the petition of the masses of patrons and customers of Tommy’s Country Ham House and based upon reputable and confirmed rumors and press releases that Tommy’s Country Ham House will be closing in the near future. For reasons hereinafter set forth, said closure is Permanently Denied.”
As part of their reasons to deny Stevenson his request, the judges said they, along with the restaurant’s patrons and political candidates, would be “irrevocably damaged” by the eatery shutting down.
“That the undersigned judges, both being extremely gifted intellectuals, very popular in the Greenville area, unusually handsome and well-liked, are regular patrons of the Ham House and will be irrevocably impacted, damaged and scarred by said closure.”
We reported earlier that the restaurant — a popular stop for presidents and presidential hopefuls — has been in business for more than 30 years.
A Charleston-based restaurant group bought the property and plans to bring a new dining concept to open in early 2022.
Finally, an injunction that makes sense.
Thanks.
Funny. When I first read the headline I assumed some liberal judge was keeping him from closing. :-) That’s how bad things have gotten.
Really. ??? When you want to retire and you are told no let us know how you like it
It was a joke. I’m sure the retiring restaurant owner understood it.
I’ll have the ham, 2 scrambled, hot cakes, and grits. Oh, and retirement? Fuggitabout it.
“Really. ??? When you want to retire and you are told no let us know how you like it.”
You know this was done in jest, right?
Judge John Kittridge issued the order ‘in good humor’.
It was never meant to be taken seriously.
It’s more a compliment that says the community really loves this restaurant and will miss it when the owner retires.
Once in a while, you find a Judge with a sense of humor, vs dictatorial vengance i.e. (the despicable) Judge Emmet Sullivan. The one who harassed General Flynn for three years....By the way, I heard Sullivan is suddenly ready to retire too!
Charlie loves him some ham!!
As I have become an elderly American citizen, I have come to accept the truth and reality young people miss. They do not realize, that all things will pass, nothing lasts forever. This is an example.
Problem is, no one is prepared to take the owner’s place. Nostalgia for a welcoming family restaurant will peak, then wane. This will become just another corporate run formula restaurant franchise.
It is hard enough to stay in business now, wait till the Federal minimum wage doubles, staying open will require much more than a sentimentally inspired “injunction”.
Presidential candidates, if there ever is another legitimate election, will have to eat elsewhere.
They can grab some barbecue at Maurice’s.
I find it interesting that such a popular and famous restaurant would be bought simply for the location.
Usually such a place would have people lined up to buy the name and recipes of such an established restaurant.
Apparently no one that desired to carry on the current business could compete with the conglomerate that wanted only the location.
Given that they're extremely gifted intellectuals and good-lookin' too, I gotta go with the judges on this one.
I knew that’s what it was going to be about. Finally the judiciary on our side *grin*
I find it interesting that such a popular and famous restaurant would be bought simply for the location."
Over the last 15 years downtown Greenville SC has been transformed into a Yuppie haven. Trendy restaurants with haute cuisine,performing arts, mixed use development, parks and all of that. Under centralized city planning, the old saw about highest and best use determining value, local guys get squeezed out.
This is a sad story in a way. This man is not passing on this business to an heir.
I worked in a similar family run restaurant in my youth. My father had worked in the same restaurant in his youth as did three of my sisters.
The two brothers that I worked for had taken over the business from their father.
Sadly when they decided to retire none of their children had ever wanted to be involved in the family business.
The restaurant was bought by someone that shortly abandoned the recipes that had made the restaurant a regional favorite.
The bright side; it remained a family operation. A different family.
Even so, it might get bought by someone with an interest in franchising.
It is often thought it a good idea to keep the original restaurant operating as a marketing tool.
I am so old that I recall when impact was a noun and not a verb.
Yeah, those judges sound as if they might be relatives of mine.
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