Miller’s Market Café closing March 24
Rhonda Pelliccio picks up a take-out order from Ronnie Miller at Miller’s Market Cafe on Monday morning, Jan. 10, 2022, shortly after the cafe opened. It will be closing permanently on March 24.
The owners, Ronnie and Wendy Miller, announced the impending closing of their business this past week on Facebook.
“We want to say thank you soooo much to all of our friends, new and old, that we have made over the past 13 months,” the Millers’ post read. “It was a dream to open a restaurant, and you all supported that dream. It has truly been one of the greatest joys to be able to serve each of you.
“But though it has been so much fun, it has been hard. Opening a new food business in this economy and at this time was extremely difficult and not without lots of stress. Ultimately, the economy, the cost of groceries, and lack of profit has led [us] to this point.
“It is with broken hearts, lots of prayers and shed tears that we are closing Miller’s Cafe. Our last day open will be Friday, March 24! We ask that you please continue eating with us over this next month, and hopefully we will have an opportunity to say thank you!
“The owners of the building have it for sale and you will see the sign in front of the building, but again, we are there until March 24.
“Thank you soooo much from the bottom of our hearts. It truly has been our pleasure!” the post concluded.
At the time it opened, in early January 2022, the cafe ushered in a new chapter in the longtime history of restaurant ownership by the Miller family in Clinton.
Ronnie Miller is part of the family that owned and operated Miller’s Restaurant for more than two decades.
During its short tenure in the Sulphur Springs Road location, Miller’s became well known for its “smash burgers,” as well as other items such as chicken and dumplings, hot-bologna sandwiches, extra-meaty chili, cinnamon rolls, and biscuits and gravy.
When it opened, Miller’s replaced Jerry’s Market & Deli, which had been open just over two years and was operated by Nate Ferguson, his wife, Ashley, and Nate’s dad, Vern Ferguson, after they bought what was originally known as Jerry’s Market.
The Miller family had formerly owned Miller’s Restaurant in downtown Clinton, which is now known as the Apple Blossom Café.
Miller, who had been the football coach at Clinton Middle School and an assistant football coach and teacher at Clinton High School, said at the time of the café’s opening that he was changing careers to take on the restaurant.
“I’m leaving teaching to do this full time,” he said at the time. “I may continue with some coaching. But we were in the restaurant business about 25 years. My parents started Miller’s Restaurant, but sold it in 2003.”
Wendy Miller said then that she would continue her fulltime job as a funeral director, but would help out in the café when she had free time.