THE HISTORY OF SPOOKY’S PIZZA AND GRILL

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In the summer of 2004, Joe Peters, his wife Chais, and their youngest son left
South Florida for Christiana, Tennessee. The move came after Joe’s best friend and
bandmate, LeRoy Wells, relocated to Tennessee a year earlier. Without missing a
beat, they formed the Midnight Special Band and a week later played their first gig
at a small café in downtown Wartrace. Chais never missed a performance, and
enjoyed watching the sun set on an old, three-story hotel across the railroad tracks
that mysteriously beckoned her.

In October 2006, the couple’s journey took an unexpected turn when Chais was
diagnosed with cancer. On a cold February morning in 2007, she asked Joe to take
her for a drive. The morphine that eased her pain caused her to fall asleep moments
into the drive. An hour later, Joe drove over railroad tracks in Wartrace, causing
Chais to awaken. Her eyes locked on the hotel she had quietly adored. In a faint
voice, she whispered, “I want to go inside.” Joe replied softly, “I know you do.
Maybe someday, but not today. Three weeks later, Chais drew her last breath on earth.
Four months later, Joe purchased the historic Walking Horse Hotel. In December
2007, he proudly dedicated a beautiful entertainment venue appropriately

named, “Chais Music Hall” in her honor.

In July 2014, Spooky’s Pizza and Grill was born from the hotel’s kitchen, marking
a new chapter in the building’s story. The restaurant relocated to Murfreesboro in April 2016.

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