From Maine to Montana, Cracker Barrel is a familiar taste that welcomes many weary travelers.
"He was proud of Cracker Barrel... he was," says Larry Singleton, Cracker Barrel Decor Manager.
And, that's just how Founder Dan Evins imagined it when he began dreaming up the restaurant and retail store combination in the small town of Lebanon, Tennessee.
"He was a Shell oil distributor, so it was just a great idea to think, 'Well, maybe I can sell some gas out on the interstate, throw in some beans and potatoes and stuff out there to try to lure traveling people in.'"
The founder envisioned the old country stores from his childhood.
"They absolutely sold everything that you needed on the farm. Plus, they were a social outlet for everybody to come hang out and find out what's happening in the community."
In February, 1970, the very first Cracker Barrel opened 30 miles east of Nashville in hometown. And, the name came from the barrels used to ship crackers to country stores.
"They would just flip them over and use them for checkers and that's kind of where people gathered around. It just kind of became the central point of the store."
It didn't take long for customers to gather for Cracker Barrel's home-style meals.
"They were family recipes. It was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, getting recipes and trying them out."
The menu hasn't changed a lot over the years. To this day, the "Uncle Herschel's Favorite" is a tried and true favorite.
"It's a great breakfast item. It's just been a popular one ever since we've been around."
It's named after Evin's real uncle who served as the Cracker Barrel spokesperson for years.
"Word of mouth was Evin's way of marketing Cracker Barrel. He had Uncle Herschel go around to any of the areas where we were fixing to open new stores."
By 1977, there were 13 locations from Tennessee to Georgia. Cracker Barrel stopped selling gas. In 1981, the company went public with its stock and even caught Barbie's eye.
"For a few years we sold those in our retail... Country Charm Barbie."
You won't find that original store on Highway 109. It's no longer there, but you will find Cracker Barrel checker boards in 42 states with more than 600 stores and counting.
Less than a month ago, the Cracker Barrel family said goodbye to Dan Evins. He lost his battle with cancer.
"I knew him all my life. He was a great, great guy... had a really cool vision and it was neat to see what it turned into over these years."
A lasting legacy, mixing the past and present with home cooking, friendly hellos & nostalgic buys.
Cracker Barrel,
"It's their home."
Born in Lebanon.
"They were founded here, started here. I've not ever heard any reason to move."
HomeGrown in Tennessee.