ERIN EDGEMON, Business Columnist
Posted: Sunday, January 3, 2010 8:34 am

Nobody’s Sports Grill & BBQ is slated to open Jan. 8 in the former location of Corky’s near the corner of Old Fort Parkway and John Rice Boulevard.

The restaurant will feature a mostly barbecue menu with an Italian flair, said Heather Gaston, marketing and promotions director for Nobody’s.

“We just want to have a relaxed Cheer’s type of environment,” she said, adding that the restaurant’s slogan is “What happens here is Nobody’s business.”

The restaurant will be family friendly during the day, but in the evenings offers trivia nights and Wii bowling competitions. Tribute bands will play at Nobody’s on the weekends.

Nobody’s will have a sports bar type feel with many flat screen televisions for watching sports.

The restaurant is open to special events and will offer a catering menu. Nobody’s also features a drive-through window.

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The owner of Chow Time and Eat Well Buffet in Memphis purchased the Ryan’s Family Steak House at 1829 Old Fort Parkway.

King Chow purchased the restaurant for $1.7 million. The purchase came with a 20-year lease with Ryan’s.

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A shop that caters to home gourmets and restaurateurs will likely open Feb. 1 or the first week of February, said Doug Amsterdam, store manager.

Chef Mart is located at 630 W. Burton Street just off Memorial Boulevard.

Owner Tamay Ozari said in a previous interview he knows that time is important to restaurateurs, and he wants to keep restaurant owners from having to take time out of their day to drive to Nashville for equipment and supplies.

“We want to be convenient for them,” he said.

Chef Mart, which is open to the public, carries everything from teaspoons to commercial refrigerators, stoves, ranges, icemakers, pots and pans and high-end chef knives.

“We offer commercial cooking equipment not only for restaurants but for home,” Amsterdam said, adding that the inventory list is made up of more than 5,000 items.

Customers can come in and pick up anything from tabletop fryers and Bunn coffeemakers, to panini presses and blenders.

“We can order anything anyone wants if we don’t have it in the store,” Amsterdam added.

A commercial kitchen will be set up in the shop for customers to view. It will include prep tables, fryers and commercial refrigeration.

Chef Mart has been in operation in Nashville since 1960.