Just after 7 a.m. on a weekday in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the sun begins softly illuminating the overflowing parking lot of the Sawmill Place. Behind rows of pickup trucks and cars, a neon open sign glows orange.

It’s a crisp, early fall morning, and the restaurant has a warm glow from within as string lights shine through large front windows. Inside, four pots of coffee behind the counter are in varying stages of emptiness as diners begin their day.

The Sawmill Place has been a favorite in Blairsville since 2001. Shawn and Amy Kight owned and operated the farm-to-table breakfast and lunch restaurant for the past 20 years, but this summer they sold it to Tom Curtin.

Running the restaurant was a 24/7 job, Shawn Kight said. A day at the Sawmill Place could begin at 3 or 4 a

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