Nic & Norman’s, a restaurant concept developed by Greg Nicotero and Norman Reedus, has an official opening date for its downtown Greenville location – Aug. 6.
The namesakes are connected by long-running television series The Walking Dead. Nicotero is an Emmy-winning special effects makeup artist, and Reedus starred on the show for 11 seasons.
Word of new addition first hit the street in February, less than a month after Smoke on the Water announced it was departing the 1 Augusta St. location and moving to Pelham Road. The building is a landmark downtown and bears a large ‘Welcome the the West End’ mural on the side facing South Main Street.
Nic and Norman’s held a soft opening Aug. 1 giving a peek at what the restaurant will offer.
In February, the restaurant’s senior vice president of operations, David Valentine, said the feel of the restaurant would be “speakeasy-ish, with chandeliers and big back booths.”
February was a busy month in Greenville for Valentine. He also created pizza concept Crust & Craft, which opened in the former Luna Rosa spot on Main Street that same month.
The ceiling of Nic and Norman’s is adorned with chandeliers down the middle and curtained booths, giving it a Prohibition-era feel. Although the restaurant’s namesakes were not at the sneak peek, their presence is felt throughout. On-set photos of both Reedus and Nicotero adorn the walls.
Gail Belliston, a co-owner of hospitality group 3 Keys and Co. along with Valentine, said Greenville’s allure came from a love for the Chattanooga location.
“Our second location is in Chattanooga, and we just love their downtown and the way the river runs through the city and that’s always been one of our favorite locations. … Greenville is so similar,” Belliston said.
The menu presents a wide array of options that harken back to traditional comfort foods. General Manager Justin Sullivan said the first few days will be dinner only. The restaurant will shift to both lunch and dinner on Aug. 10.
