Tamworth's iconic cowboy restaurant sSs BBQ Barns is set to reopen its doors.
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Graham and Marlene Manvell, who founded the award-winning restaurant in 1993, closed the doors in February.
At the time they said it was for good.
But the restaurant, once judged as making the best steak in NSW, hasn't cooked its last meal yet.
Coffs Harbour sSs franchisee Jacinta Benkoe has taken over the lease and plans to reopen the restaurant which once employed her.
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"Our Tamworth sSs is our home, Marlene and Graham are our family," she said.
"The opportunity to keep the legacy alive is just mindblowing for us. [We're] hoping that we can carry the knowledge that we've learnt from them over the last 22 years."
Ms Benkoe started at Tamworth sSs in 1997, working there until 2003. She has been at sSs franchises ever since.
When she heard that the Manvells were looking to retire from the business she knew she wanted to step up to keep the "icon of Tamworth" going, she said.
But plans were put on hold thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Instead of preparing to restart the Tamworth business, she was getting the Coffs Harbour franchise coronavirus-ready.
"COVID threw a massive spanner in the works for us.
"When you've done something you love so much for 22 years, and then have to convert a restaurant to a delivery and take-away service was a challenge in itself but also getting us out of our comfort zone."
But they did well through the coronavirus crisis.
"Our Coffs Harbour store it just took off like the clappers, you couldn't slow it down."
The new sSs will keep the same family atmosphere, Jacinta Benkoe said.
The new owners have two kids - and their eldest,17, who is preparing to do his HSC before becoming a doctor, is currently running the Coffs Harbour store, which they plan to retain.
"He was born and bred in [sSs], he was born in Tamworth. He was serving people on my hip as a baby."
The Manvells semi-retired into low-stress jobs in February, with Graham moving on into a corporate role and serving as an international cooking judge.