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By David Walsh

Biscuit Love employees pose outside of the downtown Franklin restaurant just minutes after opening for the first day/ Photo by Brooke Wanser.

By BROOKE WANSER

As the sun rose Thursday morning, struggling to peek through the clouds, Sarah Worley rounded up her employees and herded them to the front steps of the Victorian home that most recently housed Lillie Belle’s in downtown Franklin.

The group posed, laughing, for a photo before turning back into the historic home to open Biscuit Love’s Franklin location to the public.

After announcing their highly anticipated opening via teaser photos on Instagram Wednesday night, Biscuit Love in downtown Franklin officially opened Thursday morning at 7 a.m.

The popular Southern brunch restaurant has locations in the Gulch and in Hillsboro Village. But it all began with a food truck at the Franklin Farmer’s Market.

Before they had met, Sarah and Karl Worley both moved to Franklin in 1998. “Franklin is definitely home for both Biscuit Love and the Worleys,” she said.

The plan was always to have a Biscuit Love location in Franklin, but to be located in the historic Lillie Belle’s, Worley said, was a dream come true.

The building, constructed in 1892, previously served as Lillie Belle’s tearoom and wedding venue for 12 years, before going on the market for sale in 2014.

Karl Worley was friends with Bud Carman, the previous owner, so when the Worleys heard Carman was looking to sell, they knew it was the right location.

The Worleys are calling the Franklin location Biscuit Love at the Cornhouse, another name for the mansion; the original family that owned the building ran Lillie Mills, grain towers which exist as landmarks near the Harpeth River downtown.

Being in an old house, Worley pointed out, is different from being in the other, more conventional restaurant spaces.

But the service is the same as the other two locations: upon entering the building, customers place their orders at the front counter and find a seat among the three rooms.

Though there are challenges with converting a historic home into a restaurant, Worley said they wanted to showcase the molding and fireplaces, of which there are seven throughout the house.

“We just tried to update it a little with some paint, but really, what you see is what was here,” she said.

Above all, the restaurant aims to serve with the same level of care that have people standing in line for hours at their Nashville locations: “We’re here to take care of you and show you Southern hospitality,” Worley said.

Where: 132 3rd Avenue South, Franklin, TN 37064

When: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.