Thorntons open new NONA restaurant in old downtown Athens Harry Bissetts spot; not in default on development in Oconee
Many Georgia restaurant fans will fondly recall Harry Bissett's in downtown Athens at 297 East Broad Street. This longtime New Orleans themed Cajun eatery has closed since the first of the year primarily due to lack of payment of taxes, but a host of other ills had tainted this recent convert to chain, and series of poor business decisions doomed the once grand dame of the Athens seafood restaurant.
Along come Mike and Nona Thornton of Watkinsville with a plan to resurrect the style and substance of Bissett's with their new New Orleans 'N Athens restaurant called NONA in the same Broad Street location that was once a bank in Athens. Contrary to recent reports in the Oconee Enterprise newspaper,
Thornton in not in bankruptcy over the development behind the Oconee County Campus of Gainesville State College on Bishop Farms Parkway South by Georgia Aquatics Center (although proceedings have begun against his partner in the project and the bank has refused to finance or accept payments on the development from Thornton or anyone else, despite all up-to-date payments and money received for mortgage made on time and from Thornton).
In the August 26th edition of the Oconee Enterprise newspaper, Vinnie Williams wrote incorrectly that Thornton was being foreclosed on for $15 million for Thornwood Property development. Quite to the contrary, Thorton is doing very well with his Town Center development in Watkinsville and recently opened the NONA restaurant in the old Bissett's location using much of the staff and management from the old restaurant.
Thornton worked with other restaurants including Maison Bleu and the new Chops and Hops, as well as two David Weeks-controlled restaurants in Mirko's Pasta and Barberitos. The Barberitos location also had another iteration controlled by Weeks and was also the spot for Gautraux's in the five years since Thornton opened the development.
The menu at NONA is simpler than Bissett's and also less expensive. The Cajun popcorn returns and oysters on the half shell will be here to help the Gulf seafood rebound from recent troubles. There will be a daily fresh catch and an Angus ribeye. Other Cajun standards such as Poor Boys, Maque Choux, Crawfish Etouffe and Jamabayla are available as well.
On a game night weekend it was packed with family people of all ages who surely had fond memories of Harry Bissett's, even on a night with painful memories of an Arkansas loss. Both Thorntons were there in the opening night with tables full of hungry fans ready for some more Shrimp Remoulade and Andouille Sausage.
It will be interesting to see how quickly the prime Athens restaurant location ignites with constant crowds for Thornton, and how much longer the Enterprise newspaper will allow Miss Vinnie to continue publishing incorrect stories. Perhaps now that the Enterprise has hired an experienced journalist in Kathy Russo - who has run a downtown Athens establishment in Washington Street Tavern - they - meaning her daughter Maridee - will give Russo the beat that has been so soundly trounced by the elderly newspaper publisher.
Along come Mike and Nona Thornton of Watkinsville with a plan to resurrect the style and substance of Bissett's with their new New Orleans 'N Athens restaurant called NONA in the same Broad Street location that was once a bank in Athens. Contrary to recent reports in the Oconee Enterprise newspaper,
Thornton in not in bankruptcy over the development behind the Oconee County Campus of Gainesville State College on Bishop Farms Parkway South by Georgia Aquatics Center (although proceedings have begun against his partner in the project and the bank has refused to finance or accept payments on the development from Thornton or anyone else, despite all up-to-date payments and money received for mortgage made on time and from Thornton).
In the August 26th edition of the Oconee Enterprise newspaper, Vinnie Williams wrote incorrectly that Thornton was being foreclosed on for $15 million for Thornwood Property development. Quite to the contrary, Thorton is doing very well with his Town Center development in Watkinsville and recently opened the NONA restaurant in the old Bissett's location using much of the staff and management from the old restaurant.
Thornton worked with other restaurants including Maison Bleu and the new Chops and Hops, as well as two David Weeks-controlled restaurants in Mirko's Pasta and Barberitos. The Barberitos location also had another iteration controlled by Weeks and was also the spot for Gautraux's in the five years since Thornton opened the development.
The menu at NONA is simpler than Bissett's and also less expensive. The Cajun popcorn returns and oysters on the half shell will be here to help the Gulf seafood rebound from recent troubles. There will be a daily fresh catch and an Angus ribeye. Other Cajun standards such as Poor Boys, Maque Choux, Crawfish Etouffe and Jamabayla are available as well.
On a game night weekend it was packed with family people of all ages who surely had fond memories of Harry Bissett's, even on a night with painful memories of an Arkansas loss. Both Thorntons were there in the opening night with tables full of hungry fans ready for some more Shrimp Remoulade and Andouille Sausage.
It will be interesting to see how quickly the prime Athens restaurant location ignites with constant crowds for Thornton, and how much longer the Enterprise newspaper will allow Miss Vinnie to continue publishing incorrect stories. Perhaps now that the Enterprise has hired an experienced journalist in Kathy Russo - who has run a downtown Athens establishment in Washington Street Tavern - they - meaning her daughter Maridee - will give Russo the beat that has been so soundly trounced by the elderly newspaper publisher.
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