Bozo's: a Family Legacy Preserved

In the early fall of 2021, John Papageorgeon quietly began a conversation with Greg Williams, the great-great-grandson of the original Bozo Williams. He posed a simple but powerful question: would anyone in the Williams family be interested in bringing Bozo’s back into its original family lineage?

At first, Greg had little desire to own a restaurant. As a lifelong entrepreneur and owner of a successful local insurance agency, his focus was elsewhere. But the idea lingered. What began as a passing thought soon grew into something more: a calling to protect the family legacy and explore what Bozo’s could become.

Could this beloved BBQ landmark grow beyond Mason, Tennessee? Could it one day be shared with others who grew up loving it just as much as the locals?

As Greg began looking into those possibilities, he uncovered something unexpected. The trademarks and franchising rights for Bozo’s were owned by Isaac Tigrett — the world-renowned founder of Hard Rock Café and House of Blues.

Bozo’s, it turns out, had been one of Tigrett’s favorite childhood restaurants. He had once envisioned taking it to a national stage and invested millions into research and development. Although his path ultimately led elsewhere, his admiration for Bozo’s never faded, and this was something that is evident through his continued interest and personal visits over the years.

This discovery carried even more weight given the Williams family’s history. Years earlier, they had fought a nearly decade-long legal battle — spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and going all the way to the Supreme Court — to secure the rights to the Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q name from Bozo the Clown.

With a renewed sense of purpose and a vision for the future, Greg and his wife, Amy, took a leap of faith. In August 2022, they purchased Bozo’s Restaurant from John and Cindy. The following year, Isaac Tigrett personally sold the trademark and naming rights back to Greg and Amy, officially returning Bozo’s to its rightful family ownership.

Today, the future of Bozo’s is bright.

While growth and opportunity lie ahead, one thing will never change — the heart of this place. The familiar, back-home feeling. The commitment to quality food. The tradition of warm, genuine service that has defined Bozo’s for over 100 years.

And who knows... one day, you may just see Bozo’s BBQ in cities across America, proudly carrying the legacy of Mason, Tennessee and the Williams family with it.

Here’s to the next one hundred years.— The Williams Family