Captain D’s now open in Rockmart
Drop anchor and come enjoy seafood at new restaurant addition along Nathan Dean Parkway
Rockmart may be in a landlocked county, but that won’t prevent folks with a taste for seafood from catching a nibble.
Asif Jariwala got to open his dream restaurant in Rockmart at the start of the week after a ribbon cutting ceremony and VIP day for those with passes on June 30 who go to order the first entrées at Captain D’s.
The first to get her order in was Development Authority of Polk County CEO Missy Kendrick, and others lined up right behind than sat down following the morning ceremony. Also there for the festivities was April Welch, who only wanted one thing from the restaurant: hush puppies.
That amounted to good news for Captain D’s popularity locally, since there was already a location in Cedartown being frequented by customers from Rockmart after a cross-county drive.
Not only will customers no longer have to commute when they want seafood, but is also provides Jariwala with a chance to show Captain D’s corporate why he wanted to build in Rockmart in the first place.
“It’s a lot of work that I did,” he said. “It took a long time, but I’m glad to see it done.”
Jariwala was excited that not only is a 12-year quest to bring Captain D’s to Rockmart fulfilled, but that the new restaurant construction was completed right on time.
Jariwala, who owns the Dairy Queen in Rockmart as well, said he bought the property with the hopes of bringing the seafood restaurant chain to Polk County way back in 2006. Now he’s got his brand new beach-themed restaurant to prove that persistence pays off.
“I’ve loved Captain D’s and their food, and their country style. My mom always cooked the country food… I’ve always eaten it,” he said. “Every time I drive, I always look for Captain D’s.”
He was happy with the great location and with the traffic thus far of people stopping by.
Jariwala plans to keep the Dairy Queen he also owns in town, located at 123 S. Piedmont Ave.
The restaurant officially opened to customers on Monday morning, and hours will be regularly from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Those interested in sitting down or using drive thru service at Captain D’s can visit the new location at 1336 Chattahoochee Drive.
Local officials joined Jariwala, his family, new staff and Captain D’s executives from the area in the June 30 ribbon cutting officially ushering in the restaurant’s start in Rockmart. Those who attended the ceremony were treated with a free meal on the house after the staff got into the kitchen to make meals for the first customers.
The previous weekend’s ceremony also welcomed Jariwala and his new restaurant into the Polk County Chamber of Commerce.
Rockmart’s new location is slightly smaller than the traditional Captain D’s, and includes within a beach theme including tropical paint colors and plenty of choices for seating options for small and large groups alike.
The menu is the same at other franchise restaurants throughout the organization, which includes options of fish, shrimp, chicken, along with a variety of desserts and sides, and a kid-friendly menu as well. The franchise business first opened in Donelson, Tenn., in 1969. Back then it was “Mr. D’s Seafood and Hamburgers,” but changed their name in 1974 to focus on a fish and chips style menu. More than 500 locations are open nationwide.
Construction on the restaurant
finished in a cool 90 days, just in the nick of time for Jariwala’s predicted opening back when officials gathered to break ground on the Chattahoocheee Drive property.
Even though Captain D’s is surrounded by several restaurants, Jariwala feels confident about his business and believes that it’ll be just as popular as Zaxby’s, Chick-fil-A, Martin’s and others around him.
Captain D’s joins a growing list of new business out on the Nathan Dean Parkway corridor, which includes just this month new boutique The Clay Birch.
Just in the past year alone, it marks the third restaurant to open in Rockmart, with a fourth on the way. An announcement will be coming later this month about an additional chain looking to replace the Sonic on Nathan Dean Parkway as well. A new car wash is also set to open on Chattahooochee Drive in between Chick-fil-A and Martin’s as well.
With those included, between summer 2017 and this summer, at least seven new businesses have opened along the Nathan Dean Parkway corridor alone.