Burger Tour Part 3 - Wimpy’s Corner, Greenfield, TN

Wimpy and the gang grace the wall in Greenfield at Wimpy’s Corner!

When something is perfect, there’s usually a lot of people behind it!

Wimpy’s Corner

Greenfield, Tennessee

By Ellie Simmons 

Wimpy’s Corner has been a landmark in the small town of Greenfield, Tennessee since Bobby Pentecost first opened its doors in 1993. Even though the restaurant has cycled through several different owners over the years, the original Wimpy’s burger recipe has remained the same. When Jim Shelton took ownership of Wimpy’s, his goal was to revamp the restaurant and make it even better than it already was, while also staying true to the down home charm and delicious food that had made Wimpy’s a hit with locals for the better part of 30 years. 

Jim knew that remodeling the retro restaurant was not going to be a small undertaking, but he had a vision and he knew he was the perfect man for the job. He and his son, Jamie Shelton, owned a construction business, so they were able to gut and renovate the building themselves. Jim also already owned another restaurant in town, Shelton’s, which he had been running successfully since 2010. With a lot of experience under his belt, the help of his family, and the talent of local artist Drew Porter, Jim was able to make every detail of his vision a reality.

Every decision he made in designing the restaurant had intention behind it, from the art on the walls to the reclaimed metal and wood used throughout the building. He even had a reason behind his design choices for the floors, which are splattered with red and yellow paint to resemble ketchup and mustard. 

“He always wanted to make sure something had a story,” explains Jim’s daughter, Kristi Davison. “There was a reason for everything.”

Perhaps one of the most unique design aspects that were added during the Shelton Family’s renovations are the one-of-a-kind statues of classic cartoon characters Popeye, Bluto, and of course, Wimpy in the main dining room. 

“They’re actually off a float from Mardi Gras,” says Kristi. “Drew, the guy that did all of our artwork, found them in Nashville and then brought them from there, and then he built the backgrounds so that it would look like they were in the town of Greenfield.”

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