The Rex in Nancy harks back to grandma’s kitchen
ON THE BACK STRETCH of his sixth decade, Rick Barker decided to try something new. Following a 35-year career in local government and 15 years running his own real estate and auction business, he opened The Rex restaurant on February 6.
Located in Nancy, about 10 miles southwest of Somerset, The Rex serves up made-from-scratch favorites like the Manhattan sandwich (Barker’s favorite dish), fried catfish, chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, homemade pies, a full ice cream counter and more.
Barker, who turned 69 in September, says business is strong. He employs 32 people, serving around 5,500 customers each month. He attributes the restaurant’s success to three key elements: delicious home-cooked food, friendly staff and a clean space.
“I just wanted home cooking,” he says. “I thought back to what I went to my grandmother’s and ate. … We have things on there that a lot of restaurants don’t have, like macaroni and tomatoes, deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes.”
And the restaurant’s name? “Rex is my partner,” Barker says. “He’s the dog.”
Rex belonged to a man named Stephen who was Barker’s employee and close friend. “He was like a son to me,” Barker says. When Stephen died three years ago, Barker made good on his promise to take care of Rex. “I never had an inside dog,” he says. “I thought dog people were crazy. Well, you know, I’m the king of crazy now.”
Served by South Kentucky RECC, The Rex is located at 9520 W. State Route 80 in Nancy, open 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.
