DeSoto County Newsroom.com

By Amanda Compton-Ortiz

A decision by developers to make the City of Horn Lake home of the only Golden Corral restaurant in the Mid-South area reveals a lot about the city and its citizens, according to Mayor Allen Latimer.
“It says to me we are in a good market area,” Latimer said. “These developers perform highly sophisticated surveys when looking for places to put their businesses, so obviously, we come in on the plus side.
“And surely I think they know things in the Horn Lake area are starting to move.”
Restoration of the Circle G Ranch, as well as the city’s Latimer Lakes Park, an established arena for youth baseball in the area that attracts thousands of people to the city annually, were top selling points for builders to bring the American family-style restaurant chain back to the area.
Golden Corral, which opened its doors in Fayetteville, N.C., in 1973, did have a successful run in the DeSoto County area about 15 to 20 years ago at a location along Stateline Road in Southaven.
The restaurant is set to open at 988 Goodman Road West in Horn Lake in mid-January at the site of the former Ryan’s location. There it will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and feature an all-you-can-eat buffet and grill.
“I have to say that I’m excited about this,” said Horn Lake resident Casey Greenslade after hearing the news about the franchise’s return to DeSoto County. “As a child, my family would often eat at the location that used to be in Southaven at least once a week. After my brother’s soccer games, the entire team would all gather there to eat and enjoy each other’s company.
“I always loved their home-cooked style of food, so I am happy they are bringing it back.”
While projected sales revenues have not yet been released, Horn Lake Planning Director Keith Briley said the financial gain the city will experience from the restaurant’s operation will be revealed later in the planning process as “a positive business for citizens and our city.”
According to corporate officals, the restaurant plans to hire about 120 full- and part-time employees, keeping approximately 100 of those employees as part of its permanent staff following the launch.
DeSoto County resident Melissa Smith, who was hired on as a server at the former Golden Corral location in Southaven at age 15, said she’s excited about the restaurant’s return to the area.
“The first job I had was at Golden Corral on Stateline Road,” she said. “It taught me a lot about discipline and work ethic at a young age. Hopefully by reopening, it will have the same effect on other teeagers in the area.”
The Golden Corral franchise currently has four Mississippi locations in Flowood, Gulfport, Hattiesburg and McComb, with Horn Lake becoming its fifth and only location in the DeSoto County-Memphis area.
Golden Corral acquired the site following the close of Ryan’s there in March as a result of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.