By Eric Curl
May 25, 2023 – After previous owners’ plans have come and gone, Chris Moody and his partners may be the ones to finally save the historic service station slowly deteriorating on the corner of 37th and Price streets.
As co-owner of the popular watering hole Moodright’s and the adjoining honkytonk hangout, Over Yonder, Moody has demonstrated his ability to turn a vision into a successful local business.
And his ownership group, Train Track Investments, which purchased the building last October, already has approved restoration plans from a previous owner in place. On Tuesday, their vision for the building took another step towards reality, with the Metropolitan Planning Commission’s approval of a request for a special use permit for a restaurant with accessory alcohol sales.
The special use permit, which will next have to be approved by the Savannah City Council, will allow Moody and his partners to move forward with plans to restore the building for use as a general store, where customers can grab a pastry and coffee in the morning and bite and beer or glass of wine in the evening. At least one food truck is expected to operate onsite to add to the food options.
“We don’t expect to be a bar or a restaurant per se,” Moody said. “It’s more like a grab and go type spot.”
Constructed in 1920, the building’s historic status and neighboring railroad tracks mean the owners are stuck with the small space amounting to about 300 square feet of interior. The property’s limitations are OK with Moody, who said their love for the building was what drew him and his partners to the site in the first place.
“We talked to our contractor and it’s almost to the point where it’s not going to make it in a couple more years,” he said. “It will be a teardown. So we just wanted to get to it before that happens.”
With a bike lane on Price and neighborhoods all around, Moody said the store will be geared towards bicyclists and pedestrians. They are still developing the list of goods that will be available for purchase, but, in addition to some essentials and curated items, they would like to offer local businesses a place to sell their products.
Once all the permitting is approved, Moody said they could possibly open up late this year, although it will more likely be early 2024.
“We’ll see how it goes,” he said.
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