- [Ken] This tiny unlighted
sign is just off the town square in Ashland City, Tennessee. But don't blink
or you might miss this very special
place called Cody's. The message on
this little plaque just outside the entrance
certainly holds true. The charming facade may
not be something you'd find in a fancy restaurant
chain, however, the story inside is bright,
cheerful and touching. It's one about patience,
perseverance and determination. (man laughing) With years of restaurant
experience between them, Clay and April Risener had a
desire to open their own place, but that would have to wait. - I started at Shoney's
during high school, I started waitin'
tables after school and just stayed
there for 20 years, I worked my way up
into management. I always wanted
my own restaurant, when I had the opportunity
we just ran with it. - Holiday Inn you had to
proceed through their food and beverage
department university, they call it the university, and face all that, so
that helped me a lot. Plus I like to eat
and I like to cook. (laughing) Peas out. - [Ken] April and Clay
agree that the first key to success is having good food. While the menu at
Cody's is unique, it all starts bright and early with a big country
breakfast made to order and smothers the plates. - [Clay] April opens up,
she gets here about 5:30, 6:00, Will at 7:00, and
we only serve til 3:00 and it's on Monday
through Saturday. And it gets hectic
around here sometimes. That's what we want. (laughing) (gentle music) - [Ken] April and Clay
also wanted a place that would be a
gathering spot for folks to just hang out and catch up
on the happenings around town. - In the mornings we
have a coffee table, that's sit there and
shoot the breeze, what they talk about
Monday will still be Friday that they're still
talkin' about. You know, it's bib overalls
and that's the way they are. - [Ken] In fact their customers
are like extended family, some come in several
times a week, others several times a day. And you don't have
to have a calendar to know what day
of the week it is, because each day has
it's own lunch specials. There's meatloaf Mondays,
salmon Tuesday, and on it goes. With hits like liver and onions. - [April] We sell the crap
out of liver and onions. I mean, I don't, it
stinks, and salmon today. It's stinks but I
think it's people that don't want to
cook that at home. Stink the kitchen up, you
know they'll come out, I wouldn't blame them I
wouldn't cook it like that. - [Ken] They have fresh ground
cheeseburgers and fries, plus southern comfort foods
baked up or fried up by Clay. - [Clay] We wanted
like a mixing pool. We wanted to make it
like good quality food and you know good price and I
think people would come around and Ashland City proved that. Thanks to Ashland City we're
still here, they like it. - You know people
look for a place where you can get good service and get good food
and plenty of it. If you go away hungry
it's your fault. (laughing) (gentle music) - [Ken] And with an ever
changing dessert menu, you're sure to find a
temptation you can't pass up. - Thank you, thank you. We appreciate you all. - [Ken] And another
success factor is that feel good experience
from the time you walk in until the time you walk leave. - In the restaurant business,
I've been and I know, if you don't have the right
people, it's not gonna work. 'Cause you need help and
we've had, lucky been having some good people
here to work for us. And that's helped us. - My mother, until
she died last year, used to wash tables here, my
sister is the server here, so I mean it's
all really family. I have a grandson, Clay Risener, who does dishes on the weekends. - And when you come into Cody's
there are no reservations and certainly no seating charts
and sit wherever you can, you guys mind if I join you? - C'mon and have a seat with us. - All right. April and Clay are
determined for Cody's to beat the odds that
small businesses face. Especially restaurants. - [April] It's hard sometimes, but you just gotta keep going. You just want to make it
reasonable where people will eat in here and still make a living. I'm not gonna make it
rich by this, at all. But I love doin'
what I'm doin' so. I can pay the bills
we're all right. (upbeat music) - [Ken] The restaurant's
namesake is their son, and the odds were once
stacked against him. This is why Cody is
their inspiration to keep pleasing
patrons near and far. - When he was in West
Cheetam Elementary, he got diagnosed
with AML leukemia. We went through
18 rounds of chemo and they told us there
was three options, we could take him home, because
his cancer kept growing. And if we went in to transplant, they gave us 10% chance
of him makin' it. Because he was so young we had
to give him that 10% chance, so this year will be 10 years
February 12th cancer free, so - [Man] Wahoo! - On your birthday. - [Ken] Yes Cody is a survivor. And he serves as a reason
to all those associated with this diner to
ensure its success. It's clear that determination and perseverance are qualities
the Riseners embrace. It's what has helped them through their most
difficult times. It may be a tiny place
in a small community, but they certainly demonstrate how big their hearts
are here at Cody's. (upbeat music)
