Cracker Barrel opens doors at Jantzen Beach

A large crowd showed up to give Cracker Barrel Old Country Store a taste of local hospitality.

Monday morning, the Tennessee-based restaurant chain officially opened its new Jantzen Beach location on the northern edge of Portland. It seats about 180.

This 10,000-square-foot restaurant features Cracker Barrel’s country aesthetic, Southern comfort food, a gift shop and a patio of rocking chairs. The restaurant employs 220 full- and part-time workers.

Representatives for the restaurant said the walls of its dining hall pay homage to the old Jantzen Beach Amusement Park that was active from 1928 to 1970.

Breanna Straessle, a spokeswoman for the company, called opening day “exciting” and said the company chose the area to bring its restaurants to more guests.

“We have now opened three stores in the Portland area and the response from our new guests has been tremendous,” Straessle said.

The newest Cracker Barrel, 12050 N. Center Ave., will be open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Cracker Barrel has more than 650 locations nationwide.