Catching them with calves' livers

Induction into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame comes with a plaque and invitation to a fancy awards ceremony, but it doesn’t necessarily make an honored restaurant any easier to sell.

“COVID changed the world, I guess, to a degree: It knocked us down about half and still it hasn’t come back,” said Charles Keeney, the 85-year-old owner of Keeney’s Food Market in Malvern, Arkansas. Keeney continues to work 12-hour days at the community institution, known for its ribs, fried pies and Keeney’s willingness to part with any recipe.