Meet The Family
A MULTIGENERATIONAL STORY
FOR GENERATIONS OF YOUR FAMILY, FROM GENERATIONS OF OURS. WE’RE PROUD TO SHARE OUR STORY WITH YOU AS YOU BEGIN YOUR STORY ON THE MOUNTAIN.
The Beall family, known for their visionary success and excellence in hospitality at the award-winning property Blackberry Farm, expanded their commitment to the Great Smoky Mountains region and continued their tradition of offering elevated hospitality with the opening of a new property in 2019 – Blackberry Mountain. Sandy and Kreis Beall opened Blackberry Farm in 1976 as a charming six-room country inn. Their son, Sam Beall, stepped into the role of Proprietor in the early 2000’s to continue the Beall family’s dream of creating cherished experiences and sharing traditions of Southern hospitality. Sam’s vision and inspirational commitment to his work grew Blackberry Farm into the world-renowned establishment it is today. Sam’s love and appreciation for delicious cuisine, great wines and sharing memorable moments with family, friends and guests alike shaped the foundations for the standard of service at the Farm and now at the Mountain.
More than a decade ago, the Beall family and other longtime friends purchased the land that would become Blackberry Mountain. The families had a passion for protecting the land placing more than half of the land into conservation in 2009.
Following Sam’s untimely passing in 2016, Sam’s wife, Mary Celeste, became Proprietor and committed to continuing the Beall family’s work. She embraced the responsibilities of expanding possibilities and providing magical experiences and has now led, along with her father-in-law Sandy Beall and the Blackberry team, the largest expansion of the company to date with the creation of Blackberry Mountain.
Together the Beall Family and Blackberry team carry on Sam’s legacy with the highly awarded Blackberry team. With an unwavering commitment to the land and the highest quality of excellence, the adventure continues with new life on Blackberry Mountain.
Mary Celeste Beall is the Proprietor of the acclaimed resort hotels Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. For more than a decade, Mary Celeste has lived and worked on the family-owned properties. She first joined her late husband Sam as he led the transformation of Blackberry Farm into a renowned food, wine and wellness destination. As Proprietor, Mary Celeste, alongside her father-in-law, Sandy, and the Blackberry team, drove the creation and opening of Blackberry Mountain as it evolved into a haven for preservation and personal exploration in relaxation, wellness and adventure. She led creative direction for launching the brand’s print magazine, Blackberry Magazine. Unique in the resort industry, Blackberry Magazine is a creative-driven editorial project that shares original stories, art, interviews and more inspired by life at Blackberry. She continues to share her vision for the expansion of the Blackberry brand, continuing a longstanding reputation for renowned hospitality and celebrated wine and food.
Over the years, the Blackberry brand has garnered industry praise, including Blackberry Farm’s three James Beard Awards for Best Chef—Southeast, Outstanding Wine Program and Outstanding Service. Blackberry Farm was also named Bon Appetit’s No. 1 Hotel for Food Lovers. Blackberry Mountain is adding to the brand’s awards with recognitions including ELLE Décor Travel A-List – Best New Hotel, Hideaway Report – Hideaway of the Year, and inclusion in Travel + Leisure’s It List for best new hotels in the world.
In 1976, Sandy Beall, a young entrepreneur bought Blackberry Farm alongside his wife Kreis and moved his young family to live full time at the nine-bedroom inn. Sandy had founded the restaurant Ruby Tuesday just four years prior while still a student at the University of Tennessee, eventually growing the casual-dining corporation to include nearly 850 restaurants in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, as well as 14 foreign countries. His current investments and advisory roles span a large range of restaurant, education, non profits, and foodservice companies. Sandy’s diverse set of business skills and knowledge helped to grow Blackberry Farm from the happy nine-bedroom inn into one of America’s most celebrated luxury hotels. As an investor and advisor, Sandy continues to offer his business expertise back to the family owned and operated business at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Kreis Beall was 23 years old and had one child and another on the way in 1976 when she and her husband Sandy purchased Blackberry Farm as their family home. Inspired by her grandmother’s work ethic and love for food and her mother’s sense of beauty and style, Kreis fell in love with the art of entertaining and wanted Blackberry to be an extension of her own home. Her life has always represented the same sense of southern hospitality. Kreis transformed the original nine-bedroom farmhouse into a Relais & Chateaux estate and restaurant. She has also minted Blackberry Farm's acclaimed high country style and created a design studio whose work has been featured in Southern Accents, Southern Living, Bon Appetit, Town & Country and Travel & Leisure, and on HGTV and PBS.
After retiring from the inn in 1999, she opened a photography studio and returned to Blackberry to lead various design projects. Kreis is currently working on several creative projects.