Little River Pub and Deli has become the first business licensed to sell liquor drinks in Townsend, Tennessee, after a Blount County referendum. The bar and grill, situated along the Little River, received its liquor license last month, making it the first to add spirits to its offerings, which also include wine, sandwiches and rotating regional beers on tap.
For local owners Steve and Jenny Roper, the pub has been a personal labor of love. They renovated the property themselves and even got married there shortly after opening.
Jenny Roper says, “We are thrilled to be able to offer cocktails and other drinks to our customers. I called the state four separate times to be sure. They said yes, so we went for it.”
A 2020 Blount County referendum supersedes former Townsend regulations against the sale of liquor by the drink. City officials are now pursuing a way to collect their own taxes from the sales.
What matters most to the Ropers is having more to offer their customers, who will always find either Steve or Jenny at the pub to welcome them with a smile and lots of local charm. For instance, their menu includes options like Moonshine Meatballs and a Hillbilly Hammich, but they offer a “City Folk” panini as well.
Little River Pub opened in August of 2019 at 7503 W. Old Hwy 73 in Townsend. The pub and riverside patio are open noon to 9 p.m. Friday through Tuesday.