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Owners of new Macon seafood sports restaurant say it's here to stay

Touchdownz is a new seafood sports restaurant in Macon and it's here just in time for football season.

MACON, Ga. — There is a new seafood sports restaurant in Macon just in time for football season.

Lashonda Crawford and her husband, Donald, are co-owners of Touchdownz Seafood Bar and Grill along with their family friend, Clive Webley.

Donald says Touchdownz, located at 2440 Riverside Dr, has almost 20 TVs and shows sporting events from football and tennis to soccer and baseball, so customers never miss a beat.

“There’s something about sports that just brings out more people,” Lashonda said.

A soft opening for the new spot started on July 15, but the owners are having a grand opening the weekend of Friday, Sept. 6.

“Big ol' welcome for the whole weekend,” Donald said.

It starts on the 6th at 10 a.m. with an opening prayer and ends in the evening with a live DJ for entertainment. The next day, Touchdownz will host a tailgate party. On Sunday, a local band will perform live music.

“We’re new to the restaurant business, but this is one of our passions, so we’re putting our all into it,” Lashonda said. “A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of hours and we’re trying to give it our all, so every week, we’re adjusting, trying new things to make it better.”

Lashonda says they have a food truck called Streetz Eatz, but they are new to the restaurant business. The couple says the soft opening started off “rocky.”  

“We had some good feedback, we had some other feedback, but all the feedback we’re taking into consideration and making sure we get everything better and get better every week so we could try to be here for 20, 30 years,” Donald said.

Before Touchdownz, the building used to be home to several other restaurant ventures – some of which were short-lived – including JR Tavern and Locos Grill & Pub.

Donald said the Crawfords got into the restaurant business after meeting Webley, who played a role in the JR Tavern restaurant endeavor. JR Tavern opened in October 2018 and closed after less than a year of operation.

“That didn’t turn out so good, so that’s how we came together, just like that, and opened up Touchdownz,” Donald said.

But Donald says this time, it’s different. Touchdownz' family-oriented atmosphere, food, and the fact that he was born and raised in Macon, is a combination that Donald says sets his new restaurant a part.

“It’s nothing that we just want to start and don’t want to end up closing in about a year or two,” Donald said. “We expect to be here for a long time.”

“We’re expecting loyal customers, bringing their family, friends,” Lashonda said. “Watching the game while eating all the seafood they can eat and enjoying it.” She said.

Lashonda still works at GEICO full-time. She has been working there for about 16 years. She says after she is off from her day job, she heads over to Touchdownz.

Lashonda says having a great husband and family helps her juggle a full-time job and a restaurant. Donald is dedicated to keeping the restaurant going while Lashonda is at work. He says after he drops his kids off to school in the mornings, he heads to Touchdownz at about 9 a.m. and sometimes leaves after midnight when the doors close.

“We’re going to do what we have to do to make it last forever,” he said.

The couple says the menu has options that set them apart – fried crab legs, oysters, and fried ribs to name a few.   

The restaurant offers choices for vegans and vegetarians, too. Touchdownz's menu includes ‘Impossible’ tacos, burgers, Philly sandwiches, quesadillas and more.

Donald says if you’re not hungry, they’ve got the “best drinks in town.”

Happy hour is every day from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  More information about Touchdownz is available on its Facebook page.

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