Since opening in 2011, the Local No. 7 has been an integral part of the Tucker community. As a beloved spot for residents, the restaurant played a pivotal role in the grassroots effort toward the city’s incorporation.
Soon after opening, the Local No. 7 spearheaded a beloved Tucker tradition. The annual Tucker Chili Cook-Off has brought people together on Main Street to cook, taste, and vote on locally made chili since 2012.
As an established part of the community, the burger restaurant was a no-brainer when Tucker leaders planned meetings to discuss establishing cityhood. The restaurant was the backdrop for the advancement of Tucker as its own city, with all meetings about incorporation taking place at the Local No. 7.
“We’ve worked with other local groups – Tucker Business Association, the Main Street Alliance – to help build Tucker,” owner Luis Finley told Rough Draft. “We met people that had already been here for years and helped them see our vision for what we thought Tucker could be: a nice, cool, hip place to come visit, walk around, and have some good food. We realized that those people had even bigger ambitions to have a city, become mayor and city council members.”
When Tucker’s cityhood was official after a referendum in November 2025, the restaurant stayed open late for residents to celebrate, and Frank Auman, Tucker’s first mayor, gave his inaugural speech there in 2016.
The Local No. 7 celebrated 15 years this year, and Finley credits the city leadership for helping the restaurant thrive. He said the city was “helpful and supportive” during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year’s opening of the Tucker Town Green has helped the business.
“We’ve been that place that the city has really gotten behind and wanted to show off,” Finley said. “This is what we know our community is, and that’s been really fun and great for us. We always try to do our best for the city of Tucker.”
Tucker celebrated 10 years of incorporation this month with the Tentober Festival. The event brought football, beer, music, and family-friendly fun to the Tucker Town Green and Main Street on Oct. 17.
