Description
Book SynopsisLike the celestial body after which it was named, the Bright Star Restaurant is a beacon that has attracted people to downtown Bessemer, Alabama, for 100 years. Thos book traces the founding of the restaurant in 1907 and the family that continues the tradition of fine food and genuine hospitality that began there a century ago.
Trade ReviewEveryone who knows the Bright Star Restaurant in Bessemer, Alabama—and that's a lot of folks in our state—think two things about it: that it's got some of the best, most consistent food in the South, and that the friendly atmosphere is as much of a draw as the delicious Greek-style seafood and steaks. Both have kept my family and me going back over and over again to the Bright Star. My duties as U.S. senator have taken me around the world. I've been fortunate enough to have eaten many special meals in wonderful and exotic locations, but I feel just as fortunate to have the Bright Star Restaurant waiting for me when I return home to Alabama. Here's to the next one hundred years!"" - from the Tribute by Richard Shelby, U.S. Senator
""Every once in a while—possibly only once in a lifetime—if we are really lucky we will run across a restaurant that is truly special. I've had the privilege of eating at five-star restaurants in Europe as well as here in the United States, and without question my favorite restaurant in the world is the Bright Star in Bessemer, Alabama. The restaurant stands on its own, but the story of a young man from Greece who had very little money and could not speak English making his way to Alabama and starting a restaurant that has thrived for more than one hundred years is a heartwarming one. His struggles, his love for his restaurant, and his love for the people of Alabama and his family is one you'll not soon forget."" - from the Tribute by Gene Stallings, University of Alabama football coach, 1990–1996
Table of Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Family Notes and Acknowledgments
- Tribute by Richard Shelby
- Tribute by Gene Stallings
- Author's Note
- 1. Birth of a Dream
- 2. The Dream Becomes Reality
- 3. The Depression Years and World War II
- 4. In Its Prime: The 1950s
- 5. New Face of the South: The 1960s
- 6. Rolling with the Changes: The 1970s
- 7. Up, Up, and Away: The 1980s
- 8. Approaching a Milestone: 1990s—Present Day
- 9. The Bright Star Hall of Fame
- 10. Our Fallen Stars
- 11. In Their Own Words: Letters and Interviews from Our Customers
