GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Guntersville’s newest development, City Harbor is up and running. Several restaurants and businesses have already opened, with more to come.
News 19 spoke with the President & CEO of the Marshall County Economic Development Council, Matt Arnold on Thursday. He tells News 19 that the development is already getting popular.
He said business is picking up at some of the restaurants already. “You’re generally going to have to wait when you go there,” he said while chuckling. “So that’s great.”
Mary Melton, the owner of The Wake Eatery, said her restaurant is one of the busy ones. “We stay busy from the moment we open until the moment we close,” she said. She said people are coming to her restaurant from Huntsville, Decatur, and all over North Alabama.
“I’m seeing a lot of out-of-county tags, and that’s the big thing,” Arnold said.
That’s exactly what the Economic Development Council likes to see. “That’s outside money that’s coming into our community, and we could really use it,” Arnold said.
In April, a report released by the W.E.T Foundation found that Lake Guntersville helps bring in more than a billion dollars to Marshall and Jackson Counties.
City Harbor hopes to bring in locals and tourists alike.
Melton said a development like this is something Guntersville needed. She said she dove into the restaurant business because she couldn’t pass up the location, or an opportunity to do something for her community. “I’m the only local down here so bringing something to the hometown.”
She said they are already seeing a lot of folks come in by boat on the weekends, and she hopes to see more. “Come out and check out our view,” she said. “Just relax by the water and be able to get something to eat.”
She said The Wake Eatery is a family-friendly restaurant that she wants to be inviting for people coming off a day on the lake.
Soon her restaurant will be joined by a few others. La Esquina Cocina is set to open next door.
Melton said she isn’t worried about competition, she thinks the more businesses that are open, the more variety it offers to people.
“I think the more businesses that open down here, it’s just going to be more and more people,” Melton said.
