ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — For Eddie Pelletier and Timothy Pruitt, this week is a realization of a dream years in the making. However, there's still a lot of work left to do before they can celebrate.
The two friends and veterans have dreamed of owning a restaurant together.
Thursday, the duo hopes to hold a soft opening of 94 Bravo Bistro located at 2410 Ring Road in Elizabethtown.
"94 Bravo is a food service specialist in the military armed forces, and that's what we were," Pelletier said.
Pelletier and Pruitt both served in the National Guard, but their friendship goes back even further.
"We've known each other for 30 years," Pelletier said. "We're kind of married I guess."
"I moved out here from Oregon," Pruitt said. "He was the first friend I made. We're still friends today."
The two had spent years working at Akebono Brake Corporation in Elizabethtown. When the manufacturing plant offering voluntary layoffs earlier this year, the two decided the time was right to pursue their dreams.
"They did a workforce reduction and I took the first one in January, and I had been pondering a couple things, and when Tim told me he took his, it was like, you know what? I think it's time," Pelletier said.
"It lifted a lot off my shoulders and allowed me to focus more on my family," Pruitt said. "And then the opportunity presented itself and I jumped in both feet."
94 Bravo Bistro will have sandwiches, burgers, soups and desserts on its menu and both Pelletier and Pruitt promise nothing will be frozen or microwaved. For now, the shop will only offer meals to-go and for delivery.
Beyond promising good food, the veterans said they are also planning on donating some of the revenue to help local veterans organizations, like the Veterans Center in Radcliff.
"Being vets, that's close to us because those are our brothers and sisters even though we're not in it anymore," Pelletier said.
Contact reporter Dennis Ting at dting@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@DennisJTing) and Facebook.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.