‘The Walking Dead’: Norman Reedus And Greg Nicotero Opening Nic And Norman’s In Georgia

The Walking Dead’s executive producer Greg Nicotero and star Norman Reedus seem to have hit it off creatively on the set for the successful series, but it looks like the pair are teaming up again for an entirely different venture. Nicotero and Reedus are becoming business partners and co-restaurant owners of a new eatery called Nic and Norman’s, according to GA Follower. While you might expect it to be located in Los Angeles or New York City, the Walking Dead superstars are setting up shop in Senoia, Georgia, where the show films and where several of the cast and crew own homes.

It’s interesting to note that while Norman Reedus is the better known of the pair, Greg Nicotero sort of has top billing in the restaurant name. That’s probaby because it’s more semantically pleasing, but it probably doesn’t hurt that Nicotero is one of the hotshots behind the scenes on The Walking Dead, not only as producer but as the special effects makeup supervisor and now a frequent director.

While the new business partners haven’t set an exact opening date yet, they say the restaurant will definitely be open by July 11, which will come in handy while filming the new season, as well as for the many fans who frequent the small town every summer hoping to get a glance of some of their Walking Dead favorites and maybe even see some filming first-hand from a distance.

Nic and Norman’s has set up their social media sites and has been posting photos on Twitter and Instagram of the upcoming venture. From the looks of the handful of photos posted, it appears their taste in decor might be a little on the swanky side of casual. The photos show what appears to be beautiful dark woodwork in the vintage building on Main Street, and they are mixing chandeliers with vintage-style bare bulb lighting.

light it up… we're getting close…
end of May… early June… ish ? pic.twitter.com/gB39pKAtrz

— Nic & Norman's (@nicandnormans) May 14, 2016

News of the planned restaurant already has Walking Dead fans buzzing with excitement, with many wondering what dishes will be featured on the menu. While Nicotero and Reedus have not announced any of the upcoming menu items, it’s no surprise that many fans are hoping for some cheeky homages to classic Walking Dead scenes and some of the post-apocalyptic fare dined on by Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and his gang of bloody survivors.

Some of the more creative suggestions posted on a Fear the Walking Dead group include spaghetti and the Governor’s eyeballs, a Merle’s hand and cheese sandwich, and acorn cookies. Acorn cookies? Come on, if they’re gonna have cookies, they have to be Carol’s cookies, complete with a nightmarish story to scare you into silence.

As a nod to the obvious attraction to Walking Dead fans and the tourism crowd, the restaurant will also sell T-shirts. Reedus has been doing some serious advertising for the restaurant, shaking hands with fans and sporting one of their signature Nic and Norman’s T-shirts in between filming Season 7 of The Walking Dead, which has been underway since May. And if you’re going to wear one of the T-shirts and advertise the restaurant, naturally you have to post a photo of it to your Instagram, like any good social media-savvy business owner would.

@icebaby1031 I want a @nicandnormans tshirt! @wwwbigbaldhead pic.twitter.com/LWDibTzg78

— theresa moffitt (@tmmoffitt1) June 15, 2016

The T-shirt definitely references The Walking Dead and Reedus’ character, Daryl Dixon, known for his use of a crossbow. He’s also been known to just manually stick an arrow through the eye of a walker to put him or her out of their misery, and to keep from being on their menu.

As for Reedus’ partner, Greg Nicotero, fans should probably presume he has his hands full with his usual duties on set, plus trying to keep secret who died at the hands of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) at the end of Season 6 finale. Nicotero recently revealed to Movie Pilot that this season is being filmed out of order to help protect spoilers from getting out to Walking Dead fans, who have been in a frenzy since that controversial ending that left us all hanging as to who died. Walking Dead fans have been ranting and raving about the show’s failure to reveal who died, even though they really should’ve seen that coming. After all, it’s standard practice in Hollywood to end a season with a cliffhanger just to make sure you come back for the next season.

Perhaps they’ll have a viewing party for the Season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead at Nic and Norman’s. That’s sure to pack the house.

[Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC]