The Cottage, Facebook
The Cottage restaurant soon will be known as “Thai Cottage.” Owner Lisa Prewett sold the restaurant at 4085 Summer to Tom and Tanatip Tongumpun of Collierville.
The restaurant, which opened 60 years ago, will continue to serve home cooking at breakfast and lunch. At night, the menu will change to Thai and Chinese food. Karaoke also will be featured.
In 2014, The Cottage moved from its long-time former location at 3297 Summer to the present location. “ I’ve had it since 2012,” Prewett said. “My dad, Billy Franks, had it from 2009 to 2012. I just wanted a boutique for a couple of years. I was trying to get out of the restaurant and, finally, someone wanted it.”
The Tongumpuns are excited about their new restaurant venture. “We’re going to switch over on June 15,” Tom said. “Then I’m going to start opening in the evening on July 1st.”
Tom will do the cooking at night. “This is my first restaurant, but I used to work in the food business in Johnson City, Tenn. I’ve been wanting to get The Cottage for the longest. That’s what I wanted. I don’t know why. But I’ve been wanting to own it. It took 10 years.”
Tom, who retired from teaching three years ago after working 25 years, taught math in the Shelby County School system. He taught at Humes Middle School and Cordova Middle School.
His wife is going to bring some appetizers to the restaurant before the change-over, Tom said. “She wants the customers to have some of the taste of Thai.”
Prewett and her daughter are opening the boutique, “Lisa Morgan,” which will feature women’s and some men’s clothing as well as accessories. Opening date is slated for July 28, but Prewett said they’ll probably open sooner.
