Lloyd's
Lloyd's is a casual family restaurant located on U.S. Highway 280. It was founded in 1937 by Lloyd Chesser in a small building on Old Highway 280 (now Chesser Drive) in Chelsea. He operated it with his wife, Margaret.
When Chesser retired in 1971, he offered to sell the business to Eli Stevens, the son Home Baking Company owner Tom Stevens,, who supplied the restaurant. Stevens dawdled, and the deal was closed by his wife, Pat, who telephoned Margaret Chesser to work out the details.
The Stevenses relocated the restaurant to its present site across from Perrin's Grocery in Inverness in 1978. At the time the neighbors were among the few businesses along the pine-shrouded 280 corridor between Birmingham and The Narrows. Since that time the area has seen immense commercial development and the restaurant which was once a landmark is now crowded among other businesses.
The restaurant is well known for its hamburger steaks, onion rings and sweet iced tea. The business served hundreds of customers each weekday and as many as 1,500 on Sundays.
After Eli Steven's death in 2020 ownership of the restaurant passed to his son, Bogue. His children, Eli and Anna help to run the business. In March 2023 they opened a second 190-seat location in Sylacauga.
The Inverness location of Lloyd's closed on October 15, 2023. The Sylacauga location followed on October 29.
References
- Taylor, Kelli Hewett (July 1, 2007) "Steaking claim to tradition: Lloyd's at 70 still home to old-style Southern cooking." The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (April 13, 2012) "The Year of Alabama Food: Lloyd's Restaurant, Birmingham" The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (November 17, 2020) "Remembering legendary Lloyd’s Restaurant owner Eli Stevens" The Birmingham News
- Clark, Cara (May 2, 2022) "Lloyd's family restaurant poised for new location in Sylacauga." Birmingham Business Journal
- Thornton, William (February 17, 2023) "One of the Birmingham area’s oldest restaurants is launching a second location." AL.com
- Koplowitz, Howard (September 25, 2023) "Lloyd’s Restaurant to shutter Inverness location after 86 years in Birmingham metro." AL.com
- Leech, Marie (October 28, 2023) "Lloyd's Restaurant abruptly closing other Alabama location." Birmingham Business Journal