History of Montgomery Inn
We take great pride in calling the Montgomery Inn a family business. On November 1, 1951, our parents opened the former McCabe’s Inn as the Montgomery Inn. Matula and Ted Gregory were expecting their first child and struggling to make their way. Little did anyone know Montgomery Inn would also become their “baby.” Everyone who came to work at the bar for the next few years became a part of the family.
Montgomery, Ohio, in the early fifties was a “one-horse town.” Mayberry had nothing on Montgomery. Our little town was just at the beginning of its first building boom; housing developments were quickly replacing farms. Ted and Matula agreed it would be a great place to raise their family, which ultimately numbered four children: Tom, Dean, Vickie and Terry. With the advent of the new construction in the area, the “Inn” became well known as a drinking emporium, but not as an eatery. Matula had blossomed into an excellent cook, usually cooking for a small army. With four kids at home and a husband working every night to build the business, Matula fixed dinner for the family then packed up the rest and took it to the restaurant for Ted to enjoy when he had a chance. Ted usually had a crony or two who would delight in having a bite at the bar with him. One night, Matula fixed barbecued ribs and her now-famous barbecue sauce; everyone who tried them raved. Soon they were on the menu and the Gregorys were running a bona fide restaurant. When a local restaurant critic dubbed Ted the “Ribs King,” history was in the making. Several years after the king was crowned, one of the world’s greatest entertainers, Mr. Bob Hope, was a guest at the Inn. He fell in love with the food and became great friends with Ted. Bob became our celebrity spokesman.
As the four children grew up and joined the business, we expanded our little restaurant several times. With our families growing, we struggled with the decision about whether or not to open a second location on the river in downtown Cincinnati. Ted held the sole “yea” vote, so within eighteen months, in 1989, Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse opened. The Ribs King was not a man to be deterred. He was a visionary, way ahead of the times. Ted knew we could get the Boathouse off the ground; the rest of us didn’t. The Boathouse, overlooking the Ohio River, was his pride and joy.
As more and more customers enjoyed the flavor of Matula’s secret-recipe barbecue sauce, demand for Montgomery Inn products grew at a frantic pace. In 1990, Montgomery Inn began selling its barbecue sauce and mouth-watering ribs in local groceries. In recent years, we have added our Saratoga-style potato chips, pulled smoked pork and pulled smoked chicken to the grocery shelves in 23 states. In response to the national demand, Montgomery Inn added a mail order division, which sends our ribs and sauce from coast to coast, shipping more than 25,000 packages annually.
During the next few years, our catering and mail order businesses grew, and in 2001, a third restaurant joined the family in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. In 2009, our newest venue opened in the Columbus area in Dublin, Ohio.
We are very proud to say that every president from Gerald R. Ford to Barack Obama has enjoyed our ribs and barbecue sauce; President George W. Bush attended a private party at the Boathouse in 2008. We are proud to say that Bill Cosby, Henry Winkler, Elizabeth Taylor; Nick Lachey, Harry Connick, Jr., Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, Jessica Simpson; Hall of Famers Anthony Munoz, Troy Aikman, Oscar Robertson, Marty Brennaman, Johnny Bench, Sparky Anderson, Frank Robinson; every National League Baseball team; Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Jr., Joe Torre; Brent Musberger, Cris Collinsworth, Al Michaels, Tony Kornheiser; Roy Williams, Bobby Knight, George Karl; the Cincinnati Reds, Bengals, UC and XU Basketball teams; Archie Griffin, Jim Tressel; Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus; Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, and a host of other celebrities are all a part of the Inn Crowd.
As the Gregory grandchildren have grown-up, some are entering the restaurant business. Montgomery Inn is, and will always be, a part of the family. We proudly welcome you as a member of the Inn Crowd. Enjoy yourself in our restaurants. We look forward to serving you for generations to come.
We thank all of you for your patronage and wish you many happy memories,
The Gregory Family
Matula Gregory, Tom Gregory, Dean Gregory,
Vickie Gregory, Terry and Evan Andrews |
