Robert “Say” McIntosh’s grandson, a restaurant owner and political activist, establishes a restaurant in his honor

Little Rock, Arkansas – A well-known Little Rock community member’s grandson is striving to continue his grandfather’s legacy by launching a restaurant in his honor.

As a political activist and restaurant owner, Robert “Say” McIntosh was never afraid to voice his opinions. It was over a year ago that he died.

His grandson is reopening the Say McIntosh Restaurant in his honor. The new address in Little Rock is 6223 Colonial Glenn.

And the family knows Mr. Say is grinning about taking the restaurant to new heights.

“Just being in a restaurant, I still feel his presence,” grandson Robert McIntosh III said.

Say’s restaurant was first opened in 1962, but it closed in the late 1990s.

Robert, his grandson, has owned the food truck McIntosh’s Pies and Grill on Wheels since 2010, but he has always wanted to create his own restaurant.

Robert took a risk and opened the Say McIntosh food in his grandfather’s honor after working in the food industry with him since he was 11 years old.

“To see my grandfather do the things he did in the community I just couldn’t let it die so I wanted to continue his legacy,” Robert said.

Say was a cornerstone of the Black community, helping the less needy with initiatives like Little Rock’s Black Santa Claus and Thanksgiving feasts.

Robert added that they will carry on giving back through the events Say initiated, saying that his grandfather “just wanted to see Black people come together and do better.”

Say organized multiple demonstrations and, in doing so, stood up for what he thought was right by being vocal. This is where “he had a lot to say”—his nickname “Say”—was born.

However, after tasting a slice of his sweet potato pie, many were left stunned.

“I wish I could come up with another name for it because it’s nothing like it,” Robert said as he described the pies.

The big opening has no set date, but Robert is 99 percent certain that it will take place around the end of June.