Local restaurants remain open on Thanksgiving
ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- You may be cooking your own turkey and eating at home, but some local restaurants have chosen to remain open this Thanksgiving.
Michie Tavern hosted many families for the holiday. Sam Morris, the tavern's COO who has been here for about 45 years and has helped put on 20 to 25 Thanksgiving meals, says this year is different from others.
"Being Thanksgiving, we are always busy, but I've never seen business like this," he said.
The historic restaurant had a line of customers who wanted to experience the rich southern culture and hospitality it provides that extended out the front door.
Another restaurant that decided to keep its doors open is the Ivy Inn Restaurant.
It opened its doors for business this Thursday afternoon. Owner Farrell Vangelopoulos says, other than the weekend of Final Exercises at the University of Virginia, Thanksgiving is the restaurant's busiest day of the year.
In fact, over the past few months, it has received about 230 reservations.
"It's going to be a traditional turkey dinner with all those sides including cranberries, and gravy, and mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes. So, whatever people think of for Thanksgiving," said Vangelopoulos of the menu.
She says that once the restaurant closes, it will also have a big staff Thanksgiving meal to celebrate a successful day.