Even though Satterfield’s closed in June, its story continues under new ownership

A little more than six months ago, longtime customers of Satterfield’s were crushed to learn the barbeque restaurant was closing.

But, the 35-year legacy of the quaint eatery on New Street is not over.

Marla Kaplan, a fifth generation Maconite who had lived in Atlanta the past 15 years, and her husband Ben Hampton of Atlanta have bought the restaurant, will retain its name and some of the items on the menu.

For the past six years, Hampton had worked at Heirloom Market BBQ, which has been voted one of Atlanta magazine’s “50 best restaurants,” Kaplan said.

“After we got married a little over a year ago, we kind of wanted to do something for ourselves,” said Kaplan, daughter of Carol Kaplan, owner of Carol’s Linens in Macon.

So the couple moved to Macon and began looking for a place to open a restaurant.

Then this spring, Satterfield’s owner John McCord decided to close the business that opened in October 1983.

The couple met with McCord in July and began discussing the possibility of buying the restaurant. The deal closed last week.

“We are excited,” Kaplan said. “We’re honored he is bestowing this legacy on us of a 35-year old business. And we don’t take that lightly. We are humbled by it, truly. ... We can’t wait to get in there and reopen. ... A large part of our decision is we really wanted to be part of downtown. The revitalization down there is just amazing. It’s something I certainly never expected growing up there.”

After some minor renovation work updating the building, but retaining the rustic atmosphere, the restaurant is expected to reopen in January, she said.

While in recent years it had been only open for lunch weekdays, Kaplan and Hampton plan to offer lunch and dinner and be open on weekends with perhaps brunch on Sundays. Catering would continue to be offered, and it’s expect to employ about 10-12 people.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response,” about the purchase, she said.

“It is a little scary but I feel the community will be very supportive,” Kaplan said. “I hope that they will, and I hope that they will at least come once to make sure they still like it, and give us a shot.”