Restaurateurs Bruce and Jeanne Ann Cannon once again will make their presence felt in Fairfield Glade when they open an Italian restaurant in Village Green Mall.
Tossed Italian Grill is to open in March, at least initially Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Bruce Cannon told the Glade Sun. It will offer traditional Italian dishes and pizza.
The Cannons have taken over the space where Villa Pizza and Pasta had operated as one of the original businesses at the mall that was built in 1980. That restaurant closed to inside dining during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and never fully recovered, offering only take-out pizza until it closed last year.
The Cannons set the March opening for a few reasons:
– Bruce said it needs much remodeling work, which has already begun.
– The Cannons will apply to the Tennessee General Assembly for a wine sales permit. Because the restaurant is outside Crossville city limits, the application must go through the legislature, which does not meet again until January.
– Bruce said opening at that time will enable the couple to enjoy the winter at their Florida home.
In addition, the customer base in Fairfield Glade decreases significantly from November to March as many residents leave for warmer climates and the number of visitors drastically declines.
That was one reason why the Cannons delayed opening Sandbaggers Steakhouse and Lounge along Peavine Road until March of this year after they bought the building that had housed 3 Italians restaurant, which closed last year. The Cannons sold Sandbaggers shortly after it opened.
The Cannons typically buy and sell their restaurants, sometimes in short order. In addition to Sandbaggers, they took over the space in the mall where Plate & Bowl had operated in 2023 for six months until it failed, and they opened Skillets. They sold that restaurant within a couple of months.
Bruce said keeping or selling their restaurants can depend on whether they have suitable staffing. At Sandbaggers, the rising cost of beef also was a consideration.
The Cannons operate only one restaurant at this time, The Country Kitchen on Main in Crossville, where they had owned many restaurants over the years. Some, including Dublin’s Crossing and The Beef & Barrel Restaurant and Lounge, remain in business but under different owners.
They also had owned Red’s Ale House many years ago when it was at its original location. It is now along Peavine Road.
The Cannons previously owned two Italian restaurants, one in Crossville and one in Florida.
“We look forward to being back in Fairfield Glade and hopefully getting some support,” Bruce said.