DECATUR — Stacy and Amy Brooks, longtime residents of Decatur, purchased the Gallery Cafe from Denise Trammell on Sept. 9.
The Gallery Cafe has been a landmark on Decatur's Main Street for many years and is well known for its fresh cakes and pies.
Although the cafe will have new owners, not much else will change, Stacy said. The waitress staff, cooks, menu items and decor will stay the same with just a few small variations.
On weekends the Gallery Cafe will open one hour earlier, at 7 a.m, Stacy said. The second change is that, beginning immediately, the Gallery will give a free dessert, such as ice cream, a piece of cake or a piece of crÃme pie, to anyone who has lunch or dinner at the Gallery on their birthday.
"I have always felt that a person's birthday is a special event for that person, and if someone comes in to eat at the Gallery on their birthday, we can say, 'Happy birthday,' by giving that person a free dessert," Stacy said, adding with a laugh that the Gallery staff will not sing "Happy Birthday" to any customer because "customers come in to eat, not to hear singing."
One thing that will not change is the Gallery's current tradition of serving excellent food, according to Stacy.
"Biscuits are made from scratch, salads are cut fresh daily, food items are cooked upon ordering and homemade crÃme pies are made daily. Those things will not change," he said.
All of Tramell's recipes came with the restaurant, Stacy added.
Amy Brooks, formerly Amy Tormey, is a Decatur native and works at Decatur State Bank. Stacy moved to Decatur in 2001 and managed Grand Insurance and Financial Services, another successful Decatur business, for many years. Stacy said they decided to buy the Gallery because it was a business in Decatur that had a history of being successful, and both he and Amy love living in a small town.
Managing the Gallery will allow the couple to stay involved in the community where they are raising their two children, while keeping jobs in the community. "It's just a fit and it has felt right from the very beginning," Stacy said.
Former owner Denise Trammell, who operated the cafe for 11 years, recently announced she was selling the cafe and moving to Arizona due to health problems. Trammell said she chose to sell the Gallery Cafe to the Brooks because she wanted to make sure the new owners would take care of her customers and her staff.
The Gallery is having a customer appreciation day on Tuesday Sept. 22, to celebrate purchasing the cafe, with a cheeseburger, fries and coke special for $3. Customers can order meals to go by calling 752-3577.
The Gallery Cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
News, Pages 1, 2 on 09/16/2009