Greg Gratton
Greg Gratton (born 1951 in Norwood) is the owner of Green Acres Cafe, the son of restaurateur Charles Gratton and the nephew of Green Acres founder, William Gratton.
Greg was born and raised in Norwood, attending Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. As a high school freshman, he was one of the first four Black students to attend Phillips High School after it was integrated in 1965. After enduring harassment and other demeaning treatment as a freshman, he was allowed to transfer to Parker High School for his sophomore year. Every afternoon he and his brother, Charles Jr would work at Green Acres.
After graduating, Gratton moved to Chicago and took a job with the U.S. Postal Service. He met his wife, Cynthia on a blind date while visiting Birmingham for New Year's Eve in 1972. He quit his job and moved back to Birmingham to be able to see her. He worked with his brother managing the lounge section at their father's Green Acres location until moving with Cynthia to Los Angeles, California, where he worked for the Southern California Gas Company. The couple raised three daughters, Tyeasa, Tomeka, and Tiffany.
Gratton returned to Birmingham in 1993 and to take over management of Green Acres from his father. He oversaw the opening of franchise locations in West End and South Avondale. The chain, inherited by Greg after his father's death in 1999, eventually had as many as 10 franchise locations. Cynthia opened a store in Irondale in 2005 and Tomeka opened one with her husband in 2006 in East Lake.
Gratton was awarded the Five Star Business Award by Birmingham mayor Bernard Kincaid on March 20, 2007.
References
- Williams, Roy L. (June 4, 2006) "Recipe for success" The Birmingham News
- Jordan, Phillip (March 15, 2007) "Winging it: Green Acres makes history with franchises, staying powers." Birmingham Weekly.
- Michaels, Ryan (April 13, 2022) "Meet Greg Gratton, Owner of Birmingham’s Legendary Green Acres Cafe" The Birmingham Times