Downtown Franklin’s Main Street has a new hangout spot. O’ Be Joyful will open in the building formerly occupied by Boudreaux Brothers at 328 Main Street on Monday, May 14.
Owners Michael and Joni Cole, who also own GRAYS on Main, have been renovating the 1,157 square foot space since November. The decor is a marriage of industrial and modern, with an emphasis on using local makers. You will find copper piping against exposed brick walls with shelving sourced from local barns and all the seating is handmade. Opposite the bar is a wall covered in archived stories of Franklin. In keeping with the newspaper style type, Michael created ads for each of his contractors who worked on the project.
Seating for the intimate space will accommodate 40 with seating for 6 planned outside the restaurant on the sidewalk. The whiskey-focused bar menu features over 100 whiskeys which will soon include Pappy Van Winkle.
In keeping with a simple menu, the offerings include a few appetizers of nachos, jalapeno bacon poppers, and fried pickles and two salad options. There are five varieties of burgers on the menu from the Average Joe, with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle to the carb friendly “Bare” served bunless or topless with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and sun-dried tomato aioli. For those looking for other options than a burger, you can try the “Nashville Hot Chick” or the “Tennessee Steak Sandwich” (fried bologna) and the one dessert on the menu is Fried Oreos.
It will be five years in August since Michael and Joni opened GRAYS on Main where they welcomed over 5,000 people to the newly renovated space and again illuminated the iconic GRAYS sign on Main Street. The couple told us they recently purchased the building a couple of weeks ago from Andy Marshall. And while they don’t expect the opening for O’ Be Joyful to be as large as GRAYS, they do hope that it will become a Franklin hangout.
The opening of the first floor is just the beginning, look for more information soon regarding the second floor of O’ Be Joyful, it will become an event space for small parties for up to 25 people.
Ribbon cutting and grand opening for O’ Be Joyful will take place on Monday, May 14 at 11 a where you can get your first taste of the new restaurant.  Follow them on Facebook for the latest updates.
See our photos from the space.
