GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Middle Tennessee man's livelihood is at risk as Rivergate Mall goes up for sale and the future of TikTok remains uncertain.
When you enter Rivergate Mall in Greenbrier, you'll be greeted by the one and only Michael Harvey.
“We're open and looking forward to seeing you in the food court,” said Harvey, owner of One Spanky Spud.
Harvey opened One Spunky Spud in Rivergate Mall four years ago. The menu features baked potatoes almost exclusively. He said he was inspired by his mother, who taught him how to cook. “It was inspired by my mom, Bernice!”
Leaving corporate America to pursue his dreams, Harvey began marketing his business on TikTok. “My first video of his got 93 million views.”
But now, with a potential ban on TikTok and Rivergate Mall up for sale, Harvey is at risk of losing two of the biggest platforms for his business. “I'm fine, Lord, what do you have?” Harvey said.
He worries it will hurt his business. This is what he left behind for his mother who passed away in 2019. “I'm also doing this in my mother's memory. That's why I'm afraid of closing. This is what my mother wanted me to do, this is what she taught me, I feel like this is my mother's legacy that still lives on.”
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Michael told News 2 that if his business is affected, he recently purchased a food truck and should have it up and running by mid-April.
He also hopes to find additional locations in downtown Nashville.
The city council member who represents the area said there have been discussions to convert the mall into a retail mixed-use project, and there has been a lot of interest since it was put up for sale.
