Old codgers die off. Visitor traffic fades as well.
In her time as CEO, Masino oversaw changes at Cracker Barrel in an effort to reverse the chain’s declining sales and attract more customers to its antique-filled dining rooms. “We’re just not as relevant as we once were,” she said on an earnings call in 2024.
Last year, Cracker Barrel tried to rebrand with a more modern logo, drawing mixed reactions. It reversed course after public blowback, including from President Donald Trump. The chain also hit pause on restaurant renovations that involved a lighter color scheme and less kitsch adorning its walls.
Since the failed rebrand, Cracker Barrel’s quarterly sales continue to decline. And as Masino leaves the CEO role, Cracker Barrel looks a lot like it did when she took over three years ago.
The formal grand opening was May 8–10, 2009
Frontier, Air Trans, & Southwest Airlines flew there.
Since 2023 no major airline service.
Back in the late 1990s, I first fell in love with Branson, Missouri.
It was the perfect combination of rugged, natural Ozark scenery, show business, real-country-charm mixed seamlessly with fake-country-charm and a heapin’ homestyle serving of garish ugly over-the-top commercialism, dolloped onto your plate like a cup-and-a-half of instant mashed potatoes at an all-you-can eat buffet line, where you’re being shoved out of the way by a 300-pound beefy guy wearing a US flag tank top.
Back in the day, Branson drew bus tours of senior citizens from all over America.
At its height, Branson boasted of a number of well-known stars from the country and pop music worlds who were performing every night, many of whom owned their own theaters, including Andy Williams, Tony Orlando, Roy Clark, Boxcar Willie, Mel Tillis, Moe Bandy, Glen Campbell, Jim Stafford and comedian Yakov Smirnov, who is the only celebrity left who still performs in Branson - three shows a week, down from eight shows a week in the glory days.
Of course as the music scene declined so did motels & restaurants.