Many customers and community members offered their congratulations when Ruby’s made the announcement on their Facebook page on Tuesday, saying things like a downtown Ruby location were “meant to be,” with some sharing that they had “always imagined you (Ruby’s) in this building.”

It has been two eventful years to get to this point.

Ruby’s Recipes opened at 462 Memory Lane Ste. 170 in June 2020. Allen named the restaurant after his late mother, Ruby.

While Ruby’s may be best known for its Italian and deli-style cuisine, Allen hasn’t limited

itself to this style of food, and they’ve expanded to offer take-out and “Xpress” meals as well as desserts like their popular New York-style cheesecake or hummingbird cake.

Allen added that even before they found the place on Memory Lane, he called the owner about the new location. Acknowledging that the spot has had a few iterations over the years, Allen clarified that it wasn’t so much that he wanted previous restaurants to fail.

It was “just the feeling,” he said of the location and his desire to settle there.

Several times the building became available, and for various reasons it could not work until that time.

“It’s definitely God’s hand because I think I had the opportunity to hone my skills at the current location,” Allen said.

He shared that coming to a bigger place like Downtown immediately “at first could have been overwhelming.”

“For me, it was the hand of God saying, ‘This is not the place for you’… [and] now I’m ready to go,” Allen said.

His wife, Julia, pointed out that they had already looked for other places along Ga. 400 or closer near Dahlonega, but they really wanted to stay in downtown Dawsonville.

“It was God saying, ‘I’ve got something up my sleeve. Just bide your time. I’m giving you inspiration that you’ll be moving soon, [so] trust me,” she said. “‘Lean not on your own understanding, and I will direct your ways.'”

And then, just like that, the place they had “originally hoped for,” the building they passed by every day and “pretty much our heart’s desire,” became available.

Allen said his response was to praise God and remember his blessings, especially the two years of community support.

Last fall, dozens of people showed up to buy plates of spaghetti as part of a fundraiser during Allen’s recovery from health issues. Since that time, Ruby’s has also contributed to local efforts like a fundraiser for The Place and a fundraiser for Mason Palmour, a Dawson County teenager battling brain cancer.

“We’ve been so supported by this community, it’s humbling,” Allen said. “It really is.”

Julia added that they “would like to be another anchor for downtown”, similar to the iconic Pool Room further down the road.

Much of Ruby’s food will remain the same. However, customers will now be able to purchase dishes in another way, as Ruby’s Recipes is now registered with Uber Eats.

Also, Julia shared that they have something special in mind for Friday and Saturday nights.

While Ruby’s will still be an Italian deli and cafe during the day, they will stay open until about 10 p.m. on those nights during pizzeria hours.

Similarly, Julia is going to suspend her equestrian activity and take over the pastry for the restaurant, because their former baker has moved.

Smiling, Julia shared that she had been cooking since around second grade, and due to the slight age gap between her and Allen, he started cooking around the same year.

She added that the restaurant’s location was pretty much “turnkey” for them, but they’ll still need to bring in amenities like a pizza oven before they open in September. They will need to close for about two weeks in mid-August to complete the move to the new location.

Ruby’s will also be hiring, as they will have about 45 additional seats, they said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

The restaurant hires waiters, a dishwasher, a sandwich maker and a cook. Those interested in one of these positions can visit Allen at the current location, 462 Memory Lane Ste. 170, or send a message to the restaurant via its Facebook page.

Ruby’s will also be participating in the “A Taste of Italy” event at Buckley Vineyards in Ellijay on the evening of September 24th.