We, the residents of Rockbridge County and the surrounding region, respectfully request that Golden Corral Corporation consider reopening a restaurant in Lexington, Virginia at the former Country Cookin' site. Lexington previously supported a Golden Corral location adjacent to this site in the past, and the community continues to demonstrate strong demand for this type of dining. 

Currently, Rockbridge County has zero buffet restaurants and zero steakhouse options. 

This leaves families, senior groups, church groups, athletic teams, and community organizations without a local, affordable option for group dining. 

The nearest Golden Corral restaurants are located in:

• Waynesboro - approx. 45 minutes
• Roanoke - approx. 1 hour
•  Lynchburg- approx. 1 hour 

For residents of Lexington, Buena Vista, and surrounding counties, this distance creates a barrier to regular visits. A Lexington location would capture existing regional demand and reduce travel time for thousands of households. 

The proposed location is the former Country Cookin' site in Lexington, VA, situated directly adjacent to where Golden Corral previously operated.

Key advantages:

• Highway Access: Immediate proximity to I-64 and I-81, two major interstate corridors that bring daily regional, tourist, and commuter traffic through Rockbridge County. 
•  Visibility: The site is on a well-traveled commercial corridor and is already zoned and built for restaurant use.
•  History: The community is familiar with the brand in this exact area, reducing market education costs. 

Reactivating this vacant property would bring new jobs, increase local tax revenue, and eliminate blight in a prime commercial area.

Lexington's population is supported by major institutions that create year-round demand:

• Washington and Lee University - Lexington
• Virginia Military Institute - Lexington
• Southern Virginia University - Buena Vista, approx. 12 minutes away.

These institutions generate a constant flow of students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and visitors. Combined with local residents of Lexington and Buena Vista, and travelers on I-64/I-81, the trade area provides a stable customer base for a family-dining concept. 

Rockbridge County residents have already demonstrated we support and patronize new national dining brands. Our community successfully organized and petitioned for a Chipotle Mexican Grill location in the area, which has been well received. This shows corporate partners that our market responds when asked. 

Golden Corral offers exactly what is missing in our market: affordable, homestyle, all-you-can-eat dining suitable for families, large groups, and multi-generational gatherings. No current local restaurant fills this niche. 

A Golden Corral in Lexington would:

•  Fill the current buffet/steakhouse gap
• Provide a gathering space for community groups 
• Create jobs in construction and restaurant operations
•  Serve a 45-minute radius that currently drives out of town 

If you live in Rockbridge County or the surrounding area and would visit a Golden Corral in Lexington, please sign this petition. With your support, we can show Golden Corral Corporation that the demand, the location, and the community are ready for a comeback. 

Let's bring Golden Corral back to where it belongs - Lexington, VA.