Chapin restaurateur buys three restaurants, launching new concepts. What to know

Jason McDowell, owner of J.R. Cash’s and Cash’s Chicken in Chapin, has purchased three area restaurants and is rolling out new names at a couple of the locations. The changes bring a gastropub to downtown Chapin and a year-round dining plan to a Lake Murray spot..

FULL STORY: Chapin’s getting a new ale house, fresh looks at Lake Murray restaurant and bar

Here are key takeaways:

• McDowell acquired the Chapin J. Peters Grill and Bar, Rusty Anchor and Catfish Johnny’s from previous owner Jon Angell back in December.

• The J. Peters location at 912 Chapin Road is becoming the Chapin Ale House, a “food forward” gastropub and sports bar with 14 beers on tap. McDowell is eyeing a mid-April opening after “substantial” interior renovations.

• Catfish Johnny’s, the outdoor bar and grill at 1925 Johnson Marina Road on Lake Murray, has been rebranded as Nauti Turtle Bar & Grill. The Rusty Anchor kept its name, in part, because of what McDowell called its “legacy on the lake.”

• Rusty Anchor has long been a seasonal lake restaurant, but McDowell said he plans to keep it open year-round. “We feel like Columbia is growing like crazy, and we can put together the right menu for the fall and winter,” he said.

• Live music is planned at the Lake Murray locations, with McDowell describing the vibe as “more acoustic, country, (Jimmy) Buffett kind of vibe” rather than the intense rock music of past years.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.