Bevelle's Family Café: Difference between revisions
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A three-member commission appointed by Probate Judge [[Mark Gaines]] considered the case and ruled on October 12, 2006 that the County should pay Bevelle $425,000. The county has approved the payment and has ordered demolition to proceed. Bevelle's attorney stated they would not appeal the ruling. | A three-member commission appointed by Probate Judge [[Mark Gaines]] considered the case and ruled on October 12, 2006 that the County should pay Bevelle $425,000. The county has approved the payment and has ordered demolition to proceed. Bevelle's attorney stated they would not appeal the ruling. | ||
Bevelle | Initial plans were for Bevelle to open a new restaurant in [[Alabaster]], however, as of February, [[2007]], Bevelle had been encouraged by his customers to re-open in Bessemer. He planned to buy a lot from the city of Bessemer located at [[1st Avenue North Bessemer|1st Avenue]] and 19th Street, a block from where the old restaurant was located. He planned to double the size of the previous restaurant to 4,000 square feet, and offer an amenity not available at the former location, a 40- to 50-space parking lot. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 20:16, 19 January 2008
Bevelle's Cafeteria was a soul food restaurant located at 116 19th Street North in Bessemer. It was run by Eddie and Teresa Bevelle from 1991 until work on a new County courthouse forced it to close at the end of August 2006.
During its 15 year run, Bevelle's was known for hearty dishes such as beef tips and rice, turkey and dressing, fried chicken, fried okra, candied yams, cornbread and greens. Many of his customers were County employees working in the nearby Courthouse. In 2005 Jefferson County moved forward with plans to construct their new Family Courts building on the block containing the restaurant. For a while the county had plans to build around Bevelle's, but rejected those plans as impractical.
Bevelle refused offers of $103,000, $210,000 and $280,000 for his property, demanding $1.2 million that he said it would take to rebuild. The county subsequently initiated eminent domain proceedings. Bevelle's request for a Federal court order to stall demolition around him until negotiations were completed was denied, and the restaurant operated in the midst of large-scale demolition for a while until a power outage caused all his food to spoil and Bevelle's closed for good a week before a scheduled condemnation hearing.
A three-member commission appointed by Probate Judge Mark Gaines considered the case and ruled on October 12, 2006 that the County should pay Bevelle $425,000. The county has approved the payment and has ordered demolition to proceed. Bevelle's attorney stated they would not appeal the ruling.
Initial plans were for Bevelle to open a new restaurant in Alabaster, however, as of February, 2007, Bevelle had been encouraged by his customers to re-open in Bessemer. He planned to buy a lot from the city of Bessemer located at 1st Avenue and 19th Street, a block from where the old restaurant was located. He planned to double the size of the previous restaurant to 4,000 square feet, and offer an amenity not available at the former location, a 40- to 50-space parking lot.
References
- Gordon, Robert K. (February 21, 2007) "Restaurateur says residents push him to re-open eatery." Birmingham News.
- Gordon, Robert K. (October 20, 2006) "Jeffco ordered to pay restaurant owner." Birmingham News.
- Gordon, Robert K. (September 4, 2006) "Bevelle's eatery closes as county closes in." Birmingham News.
- Gordon, Robert K. (August 24, 2006) "Bessemer eatery owner asks court to save business." Birmingham News.
- Gordon, Robert K. (July 26, 2006) "Jeffco wants alley closed at restaurant it seeks to buy." Birmingham News.
- Foreman, Paul (February 9, 2005) "Two sides must come together for city's sake." Birmingham News