Family

Sandy Beall

In 1976, Sandy Beall, a young entrepreneur bought Blackberry Farm alongside his wife Kreis and moved his young family to live full time at the nine-bedroom inn. Sandy had founded the restaurant Ruby Tuesday just four years prior while still a student at the University of Tennessee, eventually growing the casual-dining corporation to include nearly 850 restaurants in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, as well as 14 foreign countries. His current investments and advisory roles span a large range of restaurant, education, non profits, and foodservice companies. Sandy’s diverse set of business skills and knowledge helped to grow Blackberry Farm from the happy nine-bedroom inn into one of America’s most celebrated luxury hotels. As an investor and advisor, Sandy continues to offer his business expertise back to the family owned and operated business at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.