Brent Collier, 65, of Pigeon Forge, passed away Aug. 25, 2020. Mr. Collier was a well-known Sevier County business owner. According to his obituary, “Brent was a driving force behind the tourism business with his 18 restaurants: Flapjacks Pancake Cabin, TGI Fridays, The Melting Pot, Smoky’s Pancake Cabin, Corkys BBQ, Golden Corrals, Smoky Mountain Pancake House, Quaker Steak and Lube, Old Chicago Pizza, and other businesses.
In a May 2018 article by Jim Gaines of the News Sentinel, the Collier family announced a $50 million investment in expanding its Sevier County businesses over the next decade. The move came as part of the family’s 50th anniversary celebration. At the time, family businesses employed more than 1,100, making it one of Sevier County’s largest employers.
Mr. Collier requested no funeral service and asked that memorials be made to The Boys & Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Bear Rescue. Additional obituary info here.