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Joe P. Asher

Staff Report

A Harlan County landmark will be undergoing some changes in the near future.

Ken and Paul’s Steakhouse, formerly a Western Sizzlin’ outpost, will be changing owners for the first time since the restaurant went into operation in 1979.

Owner Ken Moody will be leaving the business he started in new hands at the end of the week.

Moody noted he has been in the restaurant business for decades.

“We opened up in 1979 as a Western Sizzlin’,” said Moody. “I used to have Ken’s Drive In down at Baxter, I bought it in 1967. I worked for the newspaper, I was advertising manager at the Enterprise for eight years. Then I got into the restaurant business in 1967, been in it 47 years.”

Moody ran the restaurant under the Western Sizzlin’ banner for around 30 years, changing to Ken and Paul’s just a few years ago.

When asked why he decided to sell the business after such a long run, Moody said he wanted to spend time with his wife.

“I’m 77 now, and I thought it was about time for me and my wife to start enjoying ourselves a little bit,” said Moody. “She worked 39 years for the (county) school board. She was a finance officer. She kept the home fires burning while I was getting into all these businesses I’ve been in. I had four businesses going at one time. When I had the drive in, I had a hydraulic shop, a battery shop and a Volkswagen shop. Then I got into the Western Sizzlin’.”

Moody noted there have been some hard times.

“I lost my daughter, she worked here too. Susie Moody. She was an angel,” said Moody. “I was fortunate, I’ve had two angels in my life, my wife and my daughter.”

Although Moody is leaving, the location will continue under new management and a new banner.

“It’s the end of an era,” said Moody. “It’s going to be a Shiloh’s. The fellow that has the Shiloh’s in London (Scott Smith) and C.V. Bennett are partnering in it.”

Smith is the owner of Shiloh’s Roadhouse in London.

According to Moody, the new management will take over on Saturday, but it will probably be after the new year before the venue begins operating under the Shiloh’s name.

Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510 or jasher@heartlandpublications.com