MOORESVILLE, Ind. — A longtime staple of the Mooresville community has planted a “For Sale” sign in their front yard.
Despite being a beloved local icon for the better part of a century, Gray Brothers Cafeteria will be closing its doors at 555. S. Indiana St. in Mooresville and bidding farewell to the community that welcomed them for more than 80 years.
“We feel it is time to move on from this location and look forward to the future of the Gray Brothers brand,” said Jason Gray, co-owner of the cafeteria.
The Gray Brothers Cafeteria’s roots stretch back to 1944 when Forest Gray first opened Gray’s Restaurant. A community favorite, Forest’s dream continued to expand over the decades with the business moving to Indiana Street in the 1960s. The cafeteria, as it stands now at 555. S. Indiana St., was built in 1979.
But the current generation of the Gray family said it’s the promise of expansion outside of Mooresville that led to the decision to sell the longtime location and look toward a more prosperous future in areas with more opportunity.
“Having recently opened a Gray Brothers Cafeteria Baked Goods To Go location in Avon, the brand has seen positive response and success with the new store. Moving to a location with more traffic will provide new opportunities for growth and profitability,” the business said in a news release.
But while the Gray family said this is the closure of the “Mooresville chapter” of the restaurant, they promise this isn’t the end of Gray Brothers Cafeteria. While not disclosing where yet the cafeteria may reappear, the family does intend to continue business in a location with more “opportunities for growth.”
“The Gray Brothers Cafeteria brand will carry through to new location(s),” the business said.
The 17,787 sq. ft. main building is currently being listed at $10 million. The listing boasts that new owners looking to start a restaurant would have “everything you need to get up and running immediately.”
Gray Brothers Cafeteria will remain open in Mooresville until a sale is announced.
“We would like to thank the town of Mooresville, our loyal customers, family and friends. Most importantly we would like to thank God for his blessings upon our business and family for the last 80 years. In the meantime, it will be business as usual in Mooresville as we move along in this process,” shared Jason Gray.
