Marina restaurant impacted by tornado, hopeful holiday boosts business

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Work is underway to rebuild a Hendersonville marina destroyed by the December tornado outbreak . At the same time, the small restaurant beside it continues to feel the impact.

Employees of The Rudder at Anchor High Marina hope the 4th of July holiday gives them a much needed boost in business that carries the season.

“We are getting stocked up this week,” Chef Steven Amos told News 2. “It’s going to be a busy week.”

American flags fly high around The Rudder where there are high hopes for this holiday weekend. Whether traveling by boat or on land, the locally-owned restaurant is surrounded by picturesque views on Old Hickory Lake. But the restaurant has been navigating tough waters since the tornado hit more than six months ago.

“It was terrifying,” Amos said. “Never been through anything like that and I hope it never happens again.”

It was a frightening ordeal for employees and customers alike.

“There were people in bathrooms, coolers, they were pretty much everywhere,” Amos said.

Amos said that he was grateful everyone walked away and the restaurant had little damage.

“It was very dark,” Amos said. “All the power was out so I couldn’t see anything on the water.”

You could still see the destruction and trace the path where the tornado traveled — lined with downed trees and construction from where the marina was wiped out.

“It’s just a reminder of being alive,” Amos said. “We survived.”

Twisted scrap metal left behind at the marina forced around 135 boats to relocate.

“A lot of the people that lived here and had boats, I’d see them regularly,” Amos explained.

For many, The Rudder served as a second home.

“It’s pretty vital,” Amos said. “We’ve seen a little bit of a fall-off in business without all the boats here. Weather plays a big factor into that, too.”

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The Hendersonville Area Chamber of Commerce posted on Facebook and asked the community to come out and support the business. They noted that there are slips for boats to park despite the construction next door.

Anchor High Marina isn’t expected to fully reopen until 2025.

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