In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® today announced the unveiling of a tiny, “New York City-sized” Cracker Barrel store as part of its debut in the 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. The 269 sq-ft. “Tiny Home Away from Home” will make its way from Cracker Barrel’s Home Office in Lebanon, Tennessee to New York City, where it will welcome residents and visitors to the Big Apple alike the day before Thanksgiving, before Cracker Barrel takes to the streets of Manhattan on a giant floating stage as the “Home Sweet Home” float joins the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The “Tiny Home Away from Home” and “Home Sweet Home” float will bring to life the nostalgia, old country charm and genuine hospitality that has drawn guests to Cracker Barrel for 50 years.
Replicating the unique experience of visiting a Cracker Barrel store, the “Tiny Home Away from Home” blends together some of the most unique and beloved elements of a real store, including:
- The iconic front porch – complete with Cracker Barrel’s famous rocking chairs, where many families have made memories over the years
- A replica of the cozy fireplace that radiates a sense of warmth among guests
- A miniature retail store illustrating the wide selection of quality gifts, nostalgic toys, music and packaged foods you will find only at Cracker Barrel
To pay homage to Cracker Barrel’s 50-year legacy of “Pleasing People,” the “Tiny Home Away from Home” also features wood reclaimed from the very first Cracker Barrel store, which opened on Sept. 19, 1969, in Lebanon.
“As we celebrate our golden anniversary, this is a big moment for Cracker Barrel, and we wanted to do something extra special to mark our first ever-appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by creating a miniature Cracker Barrel experience that recalls the unique atmosphere of hospitality enjoyed by guests,” said Jeff Sigel, Vice President of Marketing at Cracker Barrel. “With no locations in New York City, we’re unveiling our tiny home in Foley Square on November 27th and offering those in the area the opportunity to experience a taste of Cracker Barrel as we honor our 50-year legacy.”
Cracker Barrel’s 50-year history is deeply rooted in creating experiences that begin and end with warm hospitality, homestyle cooking, and unique finds in our old country store. As part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Cracker Barrel “Home Sweet Home” float will exude an atmosphere built around nostalgia and a sense of heritage through the giant replication of the most distinguishable aspects of its stores. The handcrafted float will bring to life the authentic, local memorabilia and Americana décor found in our stores that evoke nostalgic memories for guests. Notable features include:
- A glowing fireplace – a longtime fixture of Cracker Barrel’s dining rooms
- A set of the rocking chairs on a front porch, which have become an iconic symbol of the Cracker Barrel experience
- Items that blend the old with the new, from vintage toys, peg games and thin sticks
- A vintage gramophone as a symbol of the brand’s deep heritage with music and artists since first opening its doors in 1969
- An oven large enough to hold 150 twenty-pound turkeys
To honor Cracker Barrel’s heritage in music, country music artist Tenille Townes will be riding the Cracker Barrel float and performing her single of the year, “Somebody’s Daughter.” Earlier this year, Cracker Barrel partnered with Townes and other female country artists to launch the “Five Decades, One Voice” program to celebrate, support and empower women in country music.
The “Tiny Home Away from Home” and “Home Sweet Home” float will make their debut around an especially important time for Cracker Barrel, as Thanksgiving is Cracker Barrel’s busiest day of the year, when guests flock to stores to enjoy a relaxing holiday with loved ones. Since 2010, the Thanksgiving experts at Cracker Barrel have served an approximate total of 3.8 million pounds of turkey, 49.6 million ounces of turkey gravy, and 3 million pounds of sweet potato casserole.
