Mike Bradshaw, the owner of the 1950s diner The Grill, stands outside the restaurant on Nov. 27. Bradshaw experienced turmoil in reopening his restaurant after it was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was March the 15th of 2020. The pandemic came to Athens and we were mandated to close for a while, which everyone did. The (CDC) said that places could open if they wanted to (as of April 2020), but we were still nervous about getting sick ourselves or making other people sick, so we stayed closed,” Bradshaw said. “Then, the East Clayton Street Improvements Project took over. We were coming out of our shell from the pandemic and then there was a huge two-year-long construction project at our front door.” Photo by Peter Atchley
Mike Bradshaw, owner of The Grill, reflects on how The Grill has lasted so long in the Athens Community.
Viewpoints Editor Peter Atchley: This restaurant has a very specific 1950s aesthetic. Why is that?
The Grill owner Mike Bradshaw: It is a 1950s throwback kind of aesthetic here. A lot of people compare us to Johnny Rockets or Steak ‘n Shake. We predate both of those places, so we had it first, and the guy that I bought the business from is a huge collector of Coke memorabilia and memorabilia in general. It was foolish for us to come in here and try to put up some different artwork or change it because the business was successful for a long time. No point in changing something that is working well.
PA: Where do you see The Grill in 10 years?
MB: I would like to think that either one of my employees or one of my kids will take over and carry on. Traditionally that is what happens, I’m the fourth owner and every previous owner was an employee and then bought the place from the last owner, that’s kind of been the template for us. But in 10 years, (The Grill) will hopefully look just like I do right now except that it’s not me doing this interview, it’s somebody else.
“I would like to think that either one of my employees or one of my kids will take over and carry on. Traditionally that is what happens, I’m the fourth owner and every previous owner was an employee and then bought the place from the last owner, that’s kind of been the template for us. But in 10 years, (The Grill) will hopefully look just like I do right now except that it’s not me doing this interview, it’s somebody else.”
— Mike Bradshaw,
The Grill owner
PA: What was it like when you first started to work at The Grill?
MB: I worked for my first six years at The Grill exclusively on the third shift or late-night schedule. It was good consistent hours and I needed to pay rent and all. The Grill, at the time, was kind of a punk-rock place. Back then, you didn’t see waitresses with tattoos and piercings anywhere, except for here, which is something we’re kind of known for. Most importantly, at the time, I was learning everything: I was learning how to cook, I was learning how to manage, I was just learning, learning, learning. I didn’t know it but I was learning how to run the business at the same time which became important later.
A timeline of The Grill through the decades, an iconic Athens throwback diner, is shown above. Mike Bradshaw, the current owner of The Grill, started working there at 19 as a late-night busser and worked his way up the ladder. “After I had managed it for a number of years, the opportunity to buy it came up,” Bradshaw said. “Definitely never made a conscious decision to own a business or be a restaurateur. It just kind of happened.” Timeline by Peter Atchley
PA: What have been some successes you’ve experienced and how did they impact you?
MB: We have been in business for a long time. We were here 42 or 43 years ago. I’ve been here for over 20 years, so I have seen tons of the staff that have come through The Grill who later go on to work in other service industry places, and then also open their places or manage their places. We consider The Grill kind of Athens’ local training ground for the service industry. The fact (is) that we do hire young people (and) inevitably they leave to go to college or they graduate from college and they go do whatever. I have lots of former staff who live and operate here in town and they are running their successful businesses, (so) I’ll take a little bit of credit for that.
Customers of 1950s diner The Grill, are photographed during lunch in the main dining area on Dec. 9. For Mike Bradshaw, the owner of The Grill, their longstanding place in the community contributes to the restaurant’s success. “(The Grill) has been around for so long and we’ve worked 24/7 for so long that if you were downtown, you could always come by and catch us. We’re still open a good bit of time, until 4 a.m., so that’s pretty late for anybody. The fact that we’re doing a very classic diner menu and that we’re open a lot is why you would call us a staple.” Photo by Peter Atchley
PA: How has The Grill lasted this long in the Athens community?
MB: Part of the reason we’ve been around for so long, we have a good strong business model and a killer location across the street from the university. The Arch is right out the front door and we have built-in constant traffic. Even during those times when school is out in the summer or Christmas when Athens kind of shuts down a little bit, we still have foot traffic. I’ve always said we’ve been recession-proof, so economic factors (haven’t) affected us too much because we have a built-in audience with the university crowd. (We have) a good strong business model, (are) super upfront with our staff, and (are) consistently awesome.
PA: How does the menu at The Grill relate to its aesthetic and status in Athens?
MB: We are a 1950s throwback type place and the logo on our shirts for years and years said “Hamburgers, milkshakes, and fries the way they used to be.” It’s pretty much the same burger (now than) if you went here as an undergrad in 1984. We’re not selling sushi pizza or anything wacky like that. I do think that people come in here and that they have eaten here from days past and they see our menu and they’re like, “Oh, I remember this,” and they are excited. It’s comfort food, people are excited to see the menu items and restaurants they remember.
PA: The Grill’s menu is both evolving and consistent. Does that model contribute to the Grill’s long-standing place in the community?
MB: We were built as a hamburger restaurant, our business model is built that way, we’re also built to be high-volume. When it’s busy, we function the best and hamburgers are where our profit is as compared to a cheeseburger, a mushroom burger, or a bacon burger. I make more money selling straight-up hamburgers. Another thing that we’re known for is the milkshakes, so we aim to get that stuff right. If we just keep that stuff right, everything else seems to take care of itself. Most of our menu items that have changed over time have come from in-house, the staff’s stuff that they liked and tried and that we run as a special and then it works. Our menu has been very organic in that way.
PA: What are some ways that people like Clarke Central High School students can help small businesses like The Grill?
MB: Most obviously, to patronize them. Know where you spend your dollars and make a point to spend them where they’re most appreciated. Also, just be aware of the struggle that small independent businesses face. (In) marketing, little guys like (The Grill) have to design their websites. Be aware that these (small) business owners are jack-of-all-trades and a lot is going on; they have a lot on their plate. It may take longer, and maybe the ordering process might be a little more clunky than at these smooth, streamlined corporate entities, but that’s why they are small businesses.
