Boyhood friends to open restaurant in SMART Center
Published: June 28, 2024
Author: Dave Bell
Two lifelong friends from Greenville, each with significant experience in the food service business, are preparing to open a restaurant in the SMART Center on the Greenville Square.
Collin File (pictured at right) and Richard Rasler (pictured at left) will unveil The Lunch Company on Monday, July 1. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and a sit-down brunch is planned from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Outdoor dining is available on the patio just outside the SMART Center.
“We’ve been talking about opening a restaurant of our own for the past five years,” File said. “In my 17 years in the restaurant business, I’ve held every position but owner. I’m very excited to see this opportunity come together for us right here in our hometown.”
To start, the restaurant will feature several sandwiches (Club, Cuban, BLT, and Ham & Cheese), flatbread dishes (pepperoni, mushroom, and cheeseburger), soups (tomato, chicken noodle, potato bacon, and vegetable), and several salad options. All items feature quality ingredients and are made from scratch. Prices range from $8 to $12 for sandwiches, $12 to $13 for flatbreads, $5 to $8 for soups, and $7 to $12 for salads.
With a stage in the back of the restaurant, the partners hope to make entertainment a prominent aspect of the operation. In the first week of operation, they will feature local musician Jeff Chapman on Saturday, July 6, at 2 p.m. They also hope to introduce their food to the community that day as the Fourth Fest celebration brings many people to the downtown area.
“From the beginning, Collin and I have wanted to have a lunch place,” Rasler said. “The name – The Lunch Company – was just a placeholder name as we were dreaming about this. But it stuck. The TLC initials work because our goal is to put a little TLC into everything we do.”
The SMART Center is a partnership between Greenville University and the City of Greenville. It is designed to promote an entrepreneurial spirit in the community, to serve as a place where businesses can be launched, and to provide space for activities that encourage economic development in the area.
