NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville staple Rotier’s Restaurant has been torn down to pave the way for development.
A door frame and crumbled bricks are all that remain of it.
“What makes this even sadder is we’ll never have this type of thing again," Michael Wynne said. He’s related to the Rotier family. "Good food. A lot of laughs."
The Elliston Place restaurant was popular among students and locals.
"The cheeseburgers on French bread, and the milkshakes were always killer,” loyal customer Paul Kingsbury said. "So many memories of dates with beautiful women, and hanging out with friends here from college."
The restaurant opened at the end of World War II, and now it looks like a bomb detonated.
“Ya know, I have mixed feelings seeing something like this," Kingsbury said. "We’re losing a bit of our identity, our old south identity when this goes."
The family who owned the buildings put them up for sale, and they were later purchased by Brentwood-based developer GBT Realty. NewsChannel 5 reached out to them on their future plans for the property but didn’t hear back. Most people expect them to build a high-rise at the corner of West End Avenue.
Next, Emma's Flowers and Gifts and the Rite Aid will be demolished in coming weeks. It appears the Elliston Place corridor will look a lot different soon.
"I feel like it was a great place, family run place, the Rotier family — they were wonderful, very friendly, great food, great times,” Kingsbury said. “Ya can’t stop change though."
