SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nestled in the heart of Shelbyville, on the corner of the downtown square, Pope’s Cafe has had its doors open for 85 years.
Kevin Green, owner of the cafe, said he remembers his earliest memories spent at the high countertops with his grandfather. Since taking over the business, his daughter has taken the role of baker, and heads still turn the same as they did when Mrs. Pope started baking in the 1940s.
“It’s still the same way; you can smell it as soon as you walk in the door,” Green said. “Our daughter, she does all the desserts nowadays, and when she comes out with those meringue pies, you can just see everybody following her because the meringue will literally be that tall.”
News 2 On Tour | Explore the communities that shape Middle Tennessee
Green recognizes that everyone who walks through the door becomes a part of Pope’s Cafe’s legacy. No matter if you come in daily or are stopping through town.
“Our regulars, of course, keep the lights on, but the people from out of town and people that haven’t been here since they were a child, they’ll come in and be like, ‘Well Lord, it’s exactly the same. The food tastes exactly the same.’”…