The legendary country music icon Reba McEntire has recently opened a new business venture in her home state of Oklahoma called Reba’s Place
Reba’s Place is a dining, bar, entertainment, and retail venue that marks McEntire’s first venture into the restaurant industry. The inspiration for this new venture came after McEntire’s mother, Jacqueline, passed away in 2020.
As McEntire stayed in Oklahoma to help with the estate and reconnect with her hometown, she was approached with the idea of revitalizing the small town of Atoka with a new restaurant concept.
“I stayed in Oklahoma to help settle up the estate and clean up Mom and Daddy’s house,” McEntire told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview. “I got myself reacquainted with everyone in the state and the love that I have for the state of Oklahoma.”
McEntire partnered with the Atoka city council and the Choctaw Nation to bring the concept to life.
The grand opening of Reba’s Place was celebrated in a family affair, with McEntire, her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, and her relatives, including her niece Lucchese Luchsinger, who bartended the event, and her sister and brother-in-law, Susie McEntire-Eaton and Mark Eaton, who performed.
McEntire also performed live for the grand opening, which was live-streamed for fans who couldn’t attend.
The three-story, 15,000-square-foot venue, hosted on a former Masonic temple, has a personal touch from McEntire in honor of her late mother.
On the third floor of the building, McEntire has created a library featuring books that her mother had collected over the years.
McEntire says that the library is a tribute to her mother, who treasured books and would have loved the idea of a library in the restaurant where people can sit, visit, and have a drink while reading a book.
“We took all of Mama’s books and made a library into it, so people can come in, get a book, and read a little bit. Very nice atmosphere where they can sit and visit and also have a drink,” McEntire said. “She would’ve loved that. Books, they were her treasure. They were something that she hoarded. She would be thrilled.”
Overall, Reba’s Place is not only a new venture for McEntire, but it also pays a heartfelt tribute to her late mother.
McEntire’s love for her hometown and the love she received in return have led her to this new endeavor, which promises to bring the community together with dining, entertainment, and a touch of personal history.