The Cellar closing

By Jamie Jones
Dalton Daily Citizen

April 30, 2008 10:19 pm

— A slumping local economy caused Michael Cook, the owner of The Cellar restaurant, to close the long-time Dalton eatery on Wednesday.
“Thirty-four years in business and unfortunately under my flag we’re going to have to close,” Cook said. “I pretty much hate that.”
Cook bought the restaurant off West Walnut Avenue in the Dalton Shopping Center several years ago. He said it had been struggling since last July “when the economy turned down in this town, well it turned down for us, as well.” He kept the restaurant open “six months longer than what any other prudent businessman would have done.”
“I don’t have any investors,” Cook said. “It’s just me, myself and I, my wife and my three (young) kids. I just don’t have any more funding to keep the doors open.”
The floorcovering industry has been hit hard by the struggling housing market, which was another factor Cook said affected business. He also pointed to construction on a TJ Maxx department store and shopping center addition directly next to The Cellar. The work impacted parking and caused diners to avoid the restaurant, he said.
“It’s more than The Cellar could bear,” Cook said.
The Cellar is one of several well-known local restaurants to close in recent years. The Corner Cafe in downtown Dalton closed last month, while several other familiar restaurants including Flammini’s and Barnes Barn BBQ have also closed.