A planned ownership change at one of Kentucky’s most recognizable food landmarks will not happen after all, keeping Claudia Sanders Dinner House and Blackwood Hall in the hands of the Settle family. The decision came just after a sealed-bid deadline for the Shelbyville property, restaurant business and related brand rights.
According to WDRB, the sale was called off after bids were accepted through 11:59 p.m. Friday. The Settle family said it remains committed to preserving the restaurant’s tradition and will continue operating it as usual.
A Restaurant, Residence And Brand Were Bundled Together
The proposed deal was considerably more than a real estate transaction. Marketing materials reviewed by LoopNet described a package containing 3.01 acres of commercially zoned property, Blackwood Hall, the operating restaurant, furniture and equipment, intellectual property, trademark rights and other business assets.
Blackwood Hall is a roughly 5,000-square-foot residence, while the adjoining Claudia Sanders Dinner House includes nearly 25,000 square feet of restaurant, banquet and event space. The offering also carried the weight of a nationally known name, with the restaurant drawing visitors to Shelbyville for more than six decades.
The Property Remains Tied To KFC’s Origin Story
Harland and Claudia Sanders opened the dinner house in Shelbyville in 1959 after moving from Corbin, and the property served as the first headquarters of what became Kentucky Fried Chicken. As WKU Public Radio reported, the couple also lived at the property for decades before selling it directly to Tommy and Cherry Settle in 1974.
The real estate sale was separate from a live auction of nearly 100 personal items connected to Colonel Sanders, which took place July 28. Those objects included a personal planner, handwritten recipes, presidential correspondence and one of Sanders’ signature bow ties, according to WDRB’s report.
For diners and event guests, the immediate outcome is straightforward: the restaurant is staying open under its current ownership. The Claudia Sanders Dinner House continues to advertise breakfast, lunch, dinner, catering and event services through its official website, leaving this particular piece of Kentucky fried history in familiar hands for now.
