Get to Detention – entertainment center a blast

Co-owner Bernadette Doud, who purchased the facility in 2018 with her husband Dwayne Doud, said she has a long history with the former school building.

“It was a high school first, my aunt actually graduated from here,” Doud said. “I grew up in Shady Grove and actually went to elementary school here.”

With a background running entertainment complexes, Doud said a full on family entertainment facility seemed to be something the Morrison community was in need of.

While The Elementary was originally opened by Monica and Nick Saine, The Douds have worked to expand the facility along with its offerings.

“Monica and Nick started it and then we bought it and we added to it,” Doud said. “They had a great footprint and we just built from what they started.”

The couple converted what was once the school’s second grade classroom into a commercial kitchen, and two other classrooms into a dining room for its “The Lunch Lady” restaurant.

“We have a full menu and then we have our all-you-can-eat salad buffet and a pizza buffet at lunch,” Doud said.

Detention @The Elementary also features a full snack bar in addition to the full restaurant for those enjoying the variety of activities available.

“Where the old kitchen used to be will be additional dining and a stage and hopefully we can do some acoustic sets and stuff and a place for rentals for receptions,” she said.

Doud said the goal is to have the additional dining area and stage completed by early December. Installing batting cages are next on the to-do list if the new dining area project doesn’t go over budget.

“That is something we want to add,” she said.

The facility also has a full basketball court with wood court that can be rented out for bounce-house birthday parties.

Doud said it can be frustrating to hear community members say there is nothing to do in Morrison, and she is hopeful that she and her husband can continue to promote The Elementary and Detention so more people in the area know about it.

“We recently sold Morrison Hardware, we owned it also, to bring that manager down here to help so we can pound the pavement more and get out and do more marketing,” she said.

For more information about Detention @The Elementary, call 931-773-7529 or visit www.detentiontn.com.