Townsend family restaurant Waylon’s Place reopened March 1 under new general management, according to owners Keith and Shawna Freant.
Missy Loveday has worked in the restaurant business for more than a decade and brings experience from Riverstone Family Restaurant, Good Vibes & More in Townsend, as well as several restaurants in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
“I believe in what this restaurant can be,” Loveday said about Waylon’s Place. “I’m going to give it 180 percent.”
The season kicked off with a soft launch Feb. 28 with six kitchen staff members and 10 floor staff members.
The Freants assumed the lease in April 2025 and made significant improvements to the building, where Dead Beat Pete’s, Country Steak and Eggs, and Good Vibes & More have been located in the past. It is their first restaurant venture.
“Family, faith and community are woven into everything here,” Shawna said. “We want to be a place where good food, warm hospitality and a relaxed atmosphere come together.”
