Pizza Farm Restaurant reopens in new location after fire
The Rockmart landmark also celebrates its 50th anniversary.
A day more than 14 months in the making finally came last year for the Rockmart community when the Pizza Farm Restaurant reopened.
Surrounded by family, co-workers, and friends, owner Tommy Sanders welcomed everyone to the official grand re-opening of one of Polk County’s landmark restaurants at its new location last May.
The restaurant also celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
“This means a lot to us. And I’m sure it means a lot to you. I’ve got a lot of family here. Got a lot of friends. Everybody’s welcome. I’m not much for speeches. So let’s get this thing started,” Sanders said before presiding over the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
An early morning fire on Jan. 9, 2021, ravaged the nearly 50-yearold establishment at its Knox Mountain Road location, gutting the inside and causing most of the roof to collapse. In the months since, the structure was completely demolished and cleared away.
The new Pizza Farm Restaurant sits on Marquette Road just off of Ga. 113 across from Rockmart High School. Visible from the road, the pole barn-style building provides a more spacious kitchen and dining area as well as plenty of room for antique farm equipment, toys and Rockmart High
School sports memorabilia and uniforms.
Sanders’ wife, Amanda Sanders, spoke to those gathered and said the journey they have taken, from moving on from the fire to maneuvering through obstacles to get the new restaurant finished, could not have happened without the support of so many in the community.
“I think that it has meant the world to Tommy. Very few people get to see how much impact they have on the community in their lifetime, and he’s in awe. He never dreamed that his work
meant something to someone else other than us. It’s just given him a sense of peace that his life has meant something,” Amanda Sanders said.
It took nine months to build and furnish the Pizza Farm’s new location, but general contractor Eddie Benefield, owner of E.A. Benefield Inc., said the experience could not have been more rewarding for him and his family.
“After people found out that we had worked it out, and I was going to build the restaurant, I had a lot of folks tell me, ‘you don’t know what you’re getting into,’
Benefield said with a laugh as he spoke before saying a prayer before Thursday’s opening.
“And I want to say that I didn’t. Not only have you been wonderful clients, you’ve become friends. And it means so much to me and my family just to be a part of this. You’re a huge part of this community. And just to be a little part of getting this back has been such a blessing to me.”
The restaurant’s reputation and legacy were evident on the first day of business at its new location.
Frank and Jimmie Hatch sat
outside on a bench near the front door an hour and a half before the restaurant officially opened to the public. The retired couple had driven from Ball Ground, more than 60 miles away, to eat on the establishment’s first day back open.
“I grew up in Hiram and ate here when I was living there,” Jimmie Hatch said. “I still have family in Paulding County and they were letting me know when they were getting ready to open back up.”