RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — It's been almost five months since a historic Russellville restaurant burned down.
Now, the owners and its loyal patrons are moving forward, but this time in a new location.
Old South is back open in the old Dixie Cafe building, and by the looks of the filled chairs, customers missed it.
"We eat here regularly," Johnnie Hopgood Sr. said. "It's just the way it is."
Joyce and Johnnie Hopgood spent Tuesday dining at the newly opened Old South. They had to find a new routine the last four months as the business recovered from the fire, but now the family is back to their old ways.
"We have been here five or six times," the Hopgood family said. "We try and make it about once a week."
And they don't just come for the food.
"We come and talk about old times," Johnnie Hopgood Sr. said. "We talk about good times, and we talk about bad times."
While they do miss the old look from the original location, they're just thrilled to be back.
"This is our place," Johnnie Hopgood Sr. said. "We come out here, and if it's an hour, we wait. I mean, I'm not going anywhere else."
Old South owner Zach Summitt said the restaurant has been full of familiar faces, and he's overwhelmed with the turnout so far.
"Grateful and appreciative to all the people who helped us get through that," Summitt said.
Right now, Summitt's focus is training new employees. He said most of the old location's staff moved to the new restaurant.
"That was more than we expected," Summitt said.
Summitt is eager to carry on the same theme from the original building.
"We'll probably continue to add old pictures and stuff," Summitt said.
According to Summitt, customers are welcome to bring in old pictures, and they'll consider using them for decoration.
"I'm glad they're back," Johnnie and Joyce Hopgood said. "It's not the original Old South, but it's close enough. They're bigger and better. The new is bigger and better, but the food is still great."
The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but right now, seating stops at 8 p.m. because the lines are so long.