The following article originally appeared in the 2010 Winter issue of Hometown Magazine.
Looking for a great recipe? Take two sisters,add one niece/daughter and mix well in an 1800s-era home. Throw in the support of parents Phyllis and Gilbert Story, generously apply the fantastic talents of Chef Jean-Marie Overby who graduated from Johnson and Wales Culinary School, season to taste with manager Cindy Griffiths, and the result is one of the finest dining experiences you’ll ever have.
Business: Southern Sisters Bakery & Eatery
Owners: LeeAnn Alexander, Peggy & Samantha Jones
Location: 22076 Main Street, Courtland
Phone: 757.653.9070
Looking for a great recipe? Take two sisters,add one niece/daughter and mix well in an 1800s-era home. Throw in the support of parents Phyllis and Gilbert Story, generously apply the fantastic talents of Chef Jean-Marie Overby who graduated from Johnson and Wales Culinary School, season to taste with manager Cindy Griffiths, and the result is one of the finest dining experiences you’ll ever have.
The recipe above is what makes Southern Sisters Bakery & Eatery such a great success. Southern Sisters is a culinary adventure in a unique setting that offers daily lunch specials Monday through Friday (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and spectacular dinners Wednesday(5:00 to 8:00 p.m.) and Friday (5:00 to 9:00 p.m.) evenings. Come in for their famous Sweet Tea, or enjoy a dinner featuring fresh fish, local vegetables and other delicious selections.
“Our specialty is homemade chicken salad and we’re known for our crab cakes,” says coowner LeeAnn Alexander, who owns the house and heads the PR side of the business. “We have homemade desserts that are incredible and we also have hot lunch specials every day. But the house itself is the real attraction. My sister Peggy Jones completely re-decorated the home with antiques and murals by local artist Martha Gibson, and each dining room has a different name—all southern names like The Charleston Room, The Williamsburg Room, The Savannah Room, etc. It’s really beautiful and I’m very proud of it. I think when people step in here, they are really surprised at what they see. It’s just a nice getaway.” The restaurant also features a full bar with a unique selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
But if you can’t make the trip to Courtland during normal business hours, or you’d prefer to host a private party in the comfort of your own home, Southern Sisters will bring the food to you. “My niece Samantha (Jones) handles all of the catering and we do lots of private parties—from rehearsal dinners to baby showers to wedding showers and birthday parties,” says LeeAnn. “Private parties are really our forte.”
Southern Sisters has been open for business since August 2007 and is building a loyal base of regular customers who come for a great lunch or a memorable evening out. LeeAnn credits her ability to open the restaurant with how simple Bronco made it to get her business loan. But even though LeeAnn comes from a family that boasts three generations of Bronco members dating back to the early 1950s, her reason for joining was not a matter of tradition.
“I didn’t have a good experience at my last bank and I knew Cathy Pittman, so I made the move to Bronco. Cathy made it so simple for me—I’m not kidding. It was one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. I really liked how it was handled because Cathy is very knowledgeable and I didn’t have to know a lot to do this. Cathy is excellent at her job and the people at Bronco just make you feel so comfortable. I should have made the switch a long time ago.”
We look forward to serving LeeAnn and her family as much as they are looking forward to serving your family. Just don’t wait to long to make your reservations.
