In 2011, Nalley opened his first Nalley Fresh restaurant on Baltimore Street by applying the customization aspect of restaurants like Chipotle to a more diverse and healthy food profile.
His eighth Nalley Fresh restaurant just opened its doors in Columbia and strong demand for the unique salads, bowls and wraps that the burgeoning chain offers has inspired plans for further expansion.
Soon after his diagnosis, Nalley opened his first restaurant in Tide Point called Harvest Table, a hit among the neighboring Under Armour community.
But it is unlikely that any of it would have happened if the life-changing news Nalley received in 2001 had not inspired him to take the leap and pursue his longtime dream of running his own restaurant.
In 2012, Nalley opened his second location in Hunt Valley where he gained interest from Phil and Brad Hoag.