By By KERRY WHIPPLE BEAN – Publisher
Get ready for a new Willie's.
The longtime downtown Brewton restaurant Ole Willie's, which closed last July, has been bought by three Crestview, Fla., residents and will reopen this spring.
Some work has already begun on the new restaurant, which will be called simply &#8220Willie's” but will feature similar fare as the longtime restaurant, which was a staple in downtown since the early 1980s.
The new owners hope to have the restaurant open by May 1.
Briscoe said the restaurant business has always appealed to him.
Briscoe and the Brydens heard about Ole Willie's from a friend who often frequented the restaurant.
The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. The menu will have steaks, seafood and other Willie's staples, and Briscoe said they will also try to have oysters as well as hot wings and chicken fried steak - menu items that remind him of his Texas roots.
For several days the new owners have been cleaning the restaurant and working to prepare the facility for new customers - and they've been welcoming familiar faces who want to work there, including the former cook, Anita Bryden said.
Sandy English of English Realty, which handled the sale, said the new owners wanted to keep the name because of the reputation and history of the restaurant.
His wife Anita said the partners also hope to have live music on Friday nights at the restaurant.