More History Than Most

Meet Robert Knight. He's a man with more Cartersville history behind him than most can claim, and he's the owner of bar and restaurant in historic downtown Cartersville. 

Knight spoke with Cartersville Patch about how old Knight's Hardware came to be the unique, well-designed and Cartersville-exclusive restaurant that it is today.  

Knight's Hardware was founded in 1866 by Knight's great-great grandfather, Aaron Knight, who had moved to Cartersville after the Civil War. It moved to the current building in 1889.

The hardware store stayed in business for the next 140 years, lasting until 2003, when Knight's father passed away and Knight, his only son, took over. 

He says that its demise was inevitable. 

"I knew back in the 80's that the hardware store was pretty much done," Knight said. " and came in and kind of took out everything." 

Knight says that the hardware store had become more of a "hobby for Dad" type of place, and it simply couldn't sustain itself. He decided to sell out the stock. 

"We just didn't want to close it or sell [the building] to someone," Knight said. "I felt like I needed to [keep a business going]."  

After some time, Knight and his mother settled on turning it into a restaurant. 

Knight spent the next year visiting several restaurants, gathering materials and using a tape measure to gather measurements.

"Mom would always say, 'You're just like your dad. Dad would always have a tape measure in his pocket,'"  he said.  

Knight did all of the original measurements and chose the design, but later went on to consult Jackie Cope, owner of Cope Builders and a friend of the Knight family.  Cope took over the project. 

Knight also mentioned that some folks in Cartersville were less than enthusiastic about the idea. 

"People were like, 'Oh no, Robert Knight's opening up a bar,'"  he said. It was a similar feeling from city hall when Knight went to attain his permits, he added.

All of those feelings changed the minute councilmen walked into the completed restaurant for open house, Knight said. 

"I'll never forget, one of them, he walked in and his mouth dropped."  Knight said,  adding he was very proud to walk up to the man, shake his hand, and say welcome. "I wanted to bring to Cartersville something we did not have, something that would be hard to duplicate." 

One would have considerable difficulty duplicating Knight's restaurant, considering the walls are adorned with century-old photos of Knight's own ancestors and of the building itself. It becomes even more difficult when we consider the tables. 

They are made from the old floor joists from the original building. According to Knight, a student from the University of Georgia, his alma mater, informed him that the wood was about 450 years old and made from trees that were here before the Puritans.  

"When I found that out, I said, 'I know what I'm doing my tables out of,'"  he said. 

So how does Knight's 1889 fare as a restaurant? Not bad, but things were a bit rough at the beginning. 

Knight's originally had a Cajun menu. Though Robert Knight knew nothing about Cajun cuisine, he hired a Cajun chef.  At first, it was great, but Knight said the chef left the restaurant abruptly.

The next chef did the same. The restaurant then shifted to country-style food, something Knight knew a lot about. This sat much better with the customers, he said.

With St. Patrick's day one of the busiest days for the establishment, hundreds of people fill the restaurant and Knight in the past had to deal with rowdy customers.

"I learned in law enforcement years ago, you can fight somebody or you can talk him down. There have been times when I've had to say to someone, 'Listen, you've had a good time here, and I appreciate you coming in, but it's time for you to go,'"  Knight said, adding the restaurant has been free of those type incidents for about two years.

Asked what advice he has for prospective restaurant owners, he had only one thing to say, "Don't [open one] right now."

You can make it in this economy, but he doesn't advise it. 

"Do your research," was his final advice. "Know what kind of money you've got coming [into the area]."