Social Circle has become a regional tourist draw thanks in large part to the Blue Willow Inn and its unique take on traditional Southern dining favorites.

The good news is that the restaurant in the elegant, 107-year-old mansion at 294 N. Cherokee Road remains open for business. Stop on in and reaquaint yourself with its flavorful fare.

The restaurant lost its moving force, Louis Van Dyke, who passed away in late November, but his widow, Billie Van Dyke, is continuing its operation.

The Blue Willow has been battling rumors of its closure and also facing the financial drain of the shopping center behind the inn. The shopping complex is for sale, Billie Van Dyke announced at a press conference on Friday.

We wish Van Dyke well and hope for the continued success of the inn.

The Blue Willow has helped revitalize Social Circle’s downtown. It provides jobs and paychecks to a workforce drawn from surrounding communities, and it attracts visitors to our area from across the nation, even the world, looking for a bit of Old South charm.

It is a regional dynamo that needs to keep running.