Difference between revisions of "H&O Restaurant"
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The '''H&O Restaurant''' (also known as the '''H&O Cafe''') is a historic restaurant in the [[Eastside]] neighborhood, located at 301 East [[Gonzalez Street]], at the corner of [[Hayne Street]]. One of the first black-owned restaurants in the Pensacola area,<ref>*[http://www.ci.pensacola.fl.us/upload/PDFs/CommunityDevelopment/Eastside%20Action%20Plan%20-%20draft%203.pdf Eastside Neighborhood Plan]</ref> the H&O serves Southern-style [[Wikipedia:soul food|soul food]]. | The '''H&O Restaurant''' (also known as the '''H&O Cafe''') is a historic restaurant in the [[Eastside]] neighborhood, located at 301 East [[Gonzalez Street]], at the corner of [[Hayne Street]]. One of the first black-owned restaurants in the Pensacola area,<ref>*[http://www.ci.pensacola.fl.us/upload/PDFs/CommunityDevelopment/Eastside%20Action%20Plan%20-%20draft%203.pdf Eastside Neighborhood Plan]</ref> the H&O serves Southern-style [[Wikipedia:soul food|soul food]]. | ||
| − | Its origins go back to the 1920s, when [[Hamp Lee]] and his brother opened a grocery and pool hall in a building on [[Gonzalez Street]]. They named the businesses H&O by combining the first | + | Its origins go back to the 1920s, when [[Hamp Lee]] and his brother opened a grocery and pool hall in a building on [[Gonzalez Street]]. They named the businesses H&O by combining the first letters of their wives' names, "Hattie and Ola." (Another explanation is that it stands for "Hamp and Ola.") The location was popular among the [[Segregation|pre-integration]] black community. In [[1942]], [[Givens Grier]] purchased the building and opened the restaurant. Grier's brother, [[Raymond Grier Sr.]], bought the café in [[1957]]. When he passed away in [[2001]], his wife [[Dorothy Grier|Dorothy]] took over operations.<ref name="pnjprofile">"H&O Café." ''Pensacola News Journal'', April 29, 2007</ref> |
Over the years the restaurant has served a number of celebrity patrons, including civil rights activist [[Wikipedia:Rosa Parks|Rosa Parks]], Senator [[Wikipedia:Bob Graham|Bob Graham]], Orlando Mayor [[Wikipedia:Buddy Dyer|Buddy Dyer]], boxing promoter [[Wikipedia:Don King|Don King]] and local champion boxer [[Roy Jones, Jr.]] | Over the years the restaurant has served a number of celebrity patrons, including civil rights activist [[Wikipedia:Rosa Parks|Rosa Parks]], Senator [[Wikipedia:Bob Graham|Bob Graham]], Orlando Mayor [[Wikipedia:Buddy Dyer|Buddy Dyer]], boxing promoter [[Wikipedia:Don King|Don King]] and local champion boxer [[Roy Jones, Jr.]] | ||
| − | The H&O is currently managed by [[Michael Grier]] (owner Dorothy Grier's son) and [[ | + | The H&O is currently managed by [[Michael Grier]] (owner Dorothy Grier's son) and [[Christa Grier Holmes]]. |
On [[July 18]], [[2007]], the building was temporarily closed by a fire that started around 9:45 a.m. when a pot of lima beans boiled over and ignited cooking grease. (A similar fire had damaged the building in [[1972]].) The cost of damages was initially estimated at $30,000.<ref>"Fire closes H&O Restaurant." ''Pensacola News Journal'', July 19, 2007.</ref> Grier had previously announced a 65th anniversary celebration for September 2007, during which they would roll back menu items to their original prices, but the restaurant remained closed.<ref name="pnjprofile"/> | On [[July 18]], [[2007]], the building was temporarily closed by a fire that started around 9:45 a.m. when a pot of lima beans boiled over and ignited cooking grease. (A similar fire had damaged the building in [[1972]].) The cost of damages was initially estimated at $30,000.<ref>"Fire closes H&O Restaurant." ''Pensacola News Journal'', July 19, 2007.</ref> Grier had previously announced a 65th anniversary celebration for September 2007, during which they would roll back menu items to their original prices, but the restaurant remained closed.<ref name="pnjprofile"/> | ||
| − | + | After renovations were made, the restaurant reopened on [[January 11]], [[2008]]. | |
==Hours of Operation== | ==Hours of Operation== | ||
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[[Category:Eastside]] | [[Category:Eastside]] | ||
[[Category:Diners]] | [[Category:Diners]] | ||
| + | [[Category:African-American establishments]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:12, 10 February 2009
| H&O Restaurant | |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | soul food |
| Location | 301 East Gonzalez Street |
| Established | 1942 |
| Owner | Dorothy Grier |
Map <googlemap lat="30.424817" lon="-87.213689" zoom="16" type="map" width="288" height="200">
30.424771, -87.213684, H&O Café </googlemap> | |
The H&O Restaurant (also known as the H&O Cafe) is a historic restaurant in the Eastside neighborhood, located at 301 East Gonzalez Street, at the corner of Hayne Street. One of the first black-owned restaurants in the Pensacola area,[1] the H&O serves Southern-style soul food.
Its origins go back to the 1920s, when Hamp Lee and his brother opened a grocery and pool hall in a building on Gonzalez Street. They named the businesses H&O by combining the first letters of their wives' names, "Hattie and Ola." (Another explanation is that it stands for "Hamp and Ola.") The location was popular among the pre-integration black community. In 1942, Givens Grier purchased the building and opened the restaurant. Grier's brother, Raymond Grier Sr., bought the café in 1957. When he passed away in 2001, his wife Dorothy took over operations.[2]
Over the years the restaurant has served a number of celebrity patrons, including civil rights activist Rosa Parks, Senator Bob Graham, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, boxing promoter Don King and local champion boxer Roy Jones, Jr.
The H&O is currently managed by Michael Grier (owner Dorothy Grier's son) and Christa Grier Holmes.
On July 18, 2007, the building was temporarily closed by a fire that started around 9:45 a.m. when a pot of lima beans boiled over and ignited cooking grease. (A similar fire had damaged the building in 1972.) The cost of damages was initially estimated at $30,000.[3] Grier had previously announced a 65th anniversary celebration for September 2007, during which they would roll back menu items to their original prices, but the restaurant remained closed.[2]
After renovations were made, the restaurant reopened on January 11, 2008.
Hours of Operation[edit]
Prior to the late 1990s, H&O operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The restaurant remained open 24-hours on weekends until Hurricane Ivan struck in 2004. Before the 2007 fire it was open 8 a.m. to 5 or 5:30 p.m. seven days a week. Its new hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.[4]
