Bright Star Restaurant

The Bright Star's sign

The Bright Star Restaurant is a 330-seat white tablecloth restaurant, specializing in seafood, which is located at 304 19th Street North in Bessemer. The house specialties include a Greek-style broiled snapper, lobster and crabmeat au gratin, Greek-style beef tenderloin, and spanakopita. The chef is Austin Davis, who supervises a 90-member staff along with owners Jim and Nick Koikos.

History

The Bright Star is the oldest continuously-operating restaurant in Alabama. It was founded by Greek immigrant Tom Bonduris in downtown Birmingham in the early 20th century, but did not succeed. In May 1907 he relocated to Bessemer with a new 35-seat cafe. It was moved three times before settling in its present location, where it has been since 1915. The dining room featured ceiling fans, tiled floors, and mirrored and marbled walls. A small group of privately-curtained booths were constructed in the back. A series of hand-painted murals were contributed by itinerant artist soon after the restaurant reopened in 1915. In its early years the restaurant served a cheap working man's menu of chili, sandwiches and soup to around-the-clock customers who worked different shifts in the mining and manufacturing communities around Bessemer.

Part interest in the business was purchased in 1925 by Bonduris' grand-nephews Bill and Pete Koikos who had come to Bessemer five years before. Fresh snapper was added to the menu in the 1930s as seafood from the Gulf Coast became available to the Birmingham market. The restaurant's signature neon sign was added in 1941.

Bill's sons, Jim and Nick, have owned the restaurant since 1966. Upon taking over the restaurant, they undertook a major renovation of the kitchens. Their redecorating of the dining rooms preserved the trademark fans, floors, walls and murals.

In 1978 the 50 by 100 foot establishment was expanded with a new "1907 Room" for banquet dining. Another expansion, in 1985, added the "Dixie" and "Green" rooms. In 2001 the restaurant added a bar. For several years the restaurant has hosted chefs from Commander's Palace in New Orleans, starting with Jamie Shannon, for special dinners.

In 1979 the Koikos opened a "Bright Star Motel" in Panama City, Florida, which they sold in the 1980s. From 1991 to 1998 the Koikos brothers also owned the Merritt House on Highland Avenue in Birmingham.

In 2010 the James Bard Foundation recognized the Bright Star Restaurant as an "American Classic".

References

• A Centennial Celebration of the Bright Star Restaurant (forthcoming)
• Walsh, Jan (July 2007) "Centennial Cuisine." Birmingham magazine. Vol. 47, No. 7, p. 257-8
• Evans, Amy (March 11, 2004) "The Bright Star". Interview with Jimmy Koikos. Greeks in Birmingham oral history project. Southern Foodways Alliance.
• Gaskin, Tom (November 30, 2007) "Restaurant review: At 100 years old, Bright Star still shines brilliantly." Birmingham News.

External links

• The Bright Star website
• The Bright Star at southernfoodways.com