Old City's Crown and Goose to close, Barley's Taproom to stay open under new ownership

Mary Constantine | Knoxville

Thomas and Harrison Boyd have entered into an agreement with Randy Burleson of Aubrey's to purchase Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria and the building that houses The Crown & Goose in the Old City. The brothers will take ownership of the two buildings in mid-November.

Burleson, who opened Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria at 200 E. Jackson Ave. in 2002 and purchased the Crown and Goose at 123 S. Central St. in 2016, confirmed the purchasing agreement.

Thomas Boyd said he and his brother plan to keep Barley's open for business. But, Burleson said, the Crown and Goose restaurant will close before the end of this month.

"To me this is sad because we have made many improvements to the facility and to the food and there are great people that work there, but it is what it is," Burleson said.

Burleson added that he hopes to absorb many of the Crown and Goose staff into one of his other restaurants.

"I'm very, very proud of everything we have done in the Old City, and I'm excited for everything that the Boyds are going to do in the Old City," he said.

Future plans for Old City properties

Thomas and Harrison Boyd are the sons of Jenny Houbler Boyd and Randy Boyd, a former candidate for governor and current interim president of the University of Tennessee. Their business is called Boyds Group Properties.

Thomas Boyd is also the owner of the Old City Wine Bar, 108 W. Jackson Ave.

"I love Barley's and have been going there forever," he said. "I used to play in a band called Oh No Fiasco. My wife (Lindsey) was also in it, too, and we spent a lot of time at Barley's."

He spoke with Barley's staff on Tuesday morning and told them that he has no plans to close the restaurant. That operation will be status quo.

Once the Boyds are official owners of the Crown & Goose building on Central Street, Thomas Boyd said he has tentative plans to "split the building and turn it into smaller places."

"We have some future tenants that are interested in coming in, and I also have a couple of restaurant ideas," he said.

In addition to this latest acquisition, the Boyds own the building at 112 S. Central St. that houses Good Golly Tamale and 116 S. Central St. where Corks Wine and Spirits is located.

"They are our tenants and we hope they stay as long as they want," Thomas Boyd said, adding that there was an empty spot next door for which he's "always looking for potential tenants."

Boyds Group Properties has also purchased the property at Merchants of Beer, 137 S. Central Street, and Thomas Boyd has become partners with Bobby McCarter in operating the business.

"Going forward my restaurant group will include Merchants of Beer, Rebel Kitchen, Old City Wine Bar and Barley's," Thomas Boyd said. "We also will be operating a food truck."

Plans for Merchants of Beer include building a 7,000-square-foot patio, "where we will have ping-pong tables, corn hole and projectors so that customers can watch sporting events," he said.

Roots and transformation

Thomas Boyd said he appreciates Randy Burleson for sticking it out with Barley's for so long as the area has seen many transitions. He referred to it as the "backbone" of the Old City.

"Without Barley's the Old City would have probably folded years ago," he said. "For him to be able to keep it alive for as long as he has is the reason that I am here today, the reason that the Crown and Goose opened and even why my mom stepped up with the Jig & Reel. Those were the cornerstones of this area. They are what kept the fire going down here, and it takes a vision to be able to look that far in the future and know that it's a worthwhile adventure and use of time."

Burleson has two Aubrey's restaurants slated to open soon. One is in Hixson and the other is in Greeneville. In addition to Stefano's, which is under the Aubrey's umbrella and is opening a new location in Hardin Valley, there's also an Aubrey's project in Happy Holler that's projected to open at the first of the year. The ongoing South Knoxville renovation of Kern's Bakery will also feature an Aubrey's Restaurant.

Aaron Thompson, owner of Sapphire's Fine Food and Fancy Drinks on 428 S. Gay St., said Burleson has had a huge impact on the growth of downtown.

"He was the owner of Sapphire when I bought it," Thompson said. "I was the general manager at that time and I got to know him. I scheduled a meeting with him and he helped me to facilitate the whole deal. He's been my mentor in that way for the last decade."

Burleson also became a temporary member of an investment group as Latitude 35 on Market Square was closing and plans were being formulated for Emilia to move in.

Matt Gallaher, owner of restaurants Emilia and Knox Mason, said any time you have someone "with the integrity" of Randy Burleson or the Boyd family invest in the community, it's a good thing.

"I was kicking around down there (in the Old City) when I was 8 and 9 years old because my mom's office was in the building where Java is today," Gallaher said. "It's had its up and downs and there's been a lot to come and go, but when you have someone like Randy Burleson and the Boyds step in and see them anchor businesses there, then it's trending in a positive way."

He hopes as the Old City continues to transform that it will become a destination area like Market Square has become.

"I think what the Old City Wine Bar has done is great," Gallaher added. "It has a thoughtfully curated wine line and offers good prices. They (the Boyd brothers) have a mentor in their father, who has had a lot of success, which has been a great thing for Knoxville."