Deacon's New South will serve its final guests this Saturday, closing the book on nearly nine years of steaks, oysters and wood-fired cooking on the ground floor of downtown Nashville's L&C Tower. The Franklin-based company behind the restaurant announced the closure September 14, citing continued economic pressures weighing on its operations.
According to Nashville Business Journal, A. Marshall Hospitality made the announcement on September 14, confirming that Saturday, October 24, will be the steakhouse's last day in business. The closure brings an end to a run that began in November 2017, when the restaurant opened inside the 30-story L&C Tower at 401 Church Street — a Nashville landmark built in 1957 as Tennessee's tallest skyscraper at the time, according to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
A Steakhouse Built Around Fire and Dry-Aged Beef
Deacon's New South was never just another steak spot. The concept centered on an in-house dry-aging room and a wood-fire grill. The menu paired chef-driven Southern dishes with a sommelier-curated wine program, giving downtown diners a regional accent.
Even the name carried a personal story. Deacon's was inspired by founder Andy Marshall's college nickname, which executives paired with New South to signal a modern spin on regional cooking, according to the Williamson Scene's reporting from the restaurant's early years. The company reportedly weighed several concepts before settling on using Marshall's own nickname for the brand.
Economic Pressures Weighed on Downtown
The company cited continued economic pressures as a factor in its decision to close Deacon's.
On September 18, A. Marshall Hospitality permanently shut down two Puckett's Restaurant locations — in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and Cullman, Alabama — citing similar economic challenges, per TheStreet.
Leadership Change Follows a Mayoral Win
The restaurant closures come amid a significant leadership transition at the top of the company. Founder Andy Marshall stepped down as CEO on September 1 after winning election as Williamson County mayor on August 6, passing the role to his daughter, Claire Crowell. Marshall won with nearly 70 percent of the vote, the Nashville Post reported.
A. Marshall Hospitality traces back to 1998, when Andy Marshall purchased the original Puckett's Grocery in Leiper's Fork, building it into a multi-concept hospitality group that landed on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for five consecutive years, from 2014 to 2018. In April, the company brought on veteran Nashville chef and live-fire cooking expert Nick Guidry as corporate culinary director, tasked with overseeing menu development and kitchen operations across all of its brands, according to the Nashville Scene.
What's Left in the Company's Footprint
Once Deacon's closes its doors Saturday, A. Marshall Hospitality's remaining operation will consist of six Puckett's Restaurant locations across Tennessee — in downtown Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Columbia, Chattanooga and Pigeon Forge — along with Scout's Pub in Franklin, according to the Davidson County Source. The company has said it is focused on strengthening operations and serving communities with longstanding relationships.
For downtown Nashville diners, Saturday marks the last chance to order a dry-aged ribeye beneath the L&C Tower's distinctive silhouette. Nearly nine years after it opened, Deacon's New South is closing amid continued economic pressures.
