The Knotty Pine restaurant in Auburndale has applied for a Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP). According to NTHP, fifty grant recipients nationwide — “that contribute to their neighborhood’s unique history and identity” — will each receive $50,000 “to help them improve their businesses and positively impact their communities.”
Nick Kourtis of the Knotty Pine submitted the grant application with support from John Sisson, Newton’s Director of Economic Development. They encourage members of the public to submit online comments in support of the application by the deadline of Monday, March 25 at 11:59PM. That form asks for the restaurant name, website (theknottypinelunch.com), and location (Auburndale).
The Knotty Pine has been family owned for 39 years. Tula Kourtis and her brother founded the restaurant in 1987, in a 1915 building that had housed a restaurant for most of its history. Tula’s sons, Billy and Nick, purchased the restaurant in 1996, and Tula continues to work there with her sons.
Sisson said, “I’d love to see this grant go to a long-time Auburndale institution and recognize the contributions of Tula, Nick, and Billy in providing hearty food and a welcoming place for people to gather over many decades.”
