Sadie’s American Cafeteria Now Open

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “Since we unlocked the doors at 11:00 o’clock, we’ve had a line out the door,” says David Martin, owner of Sadie’s American Cafeteria. Martin says so far business is good. “It’s been fantastic. We have certainly been humbled by the response,” says Martin. Sadie’s, named after Martin’s late grandmother, took the place of the old S & S Cafeteria, a long time Columbia favorite. “We’ve had a lot of repeat customers and they were so happy to see us here,” says Helen Gartman, Employee of Sadie’s American Cafeteria. Gartman worked at the S & S Cafeteria, so when it closed she was left without a job. Thanks to Sadie’s, she’s back at work. “I hope they enjoy me as much as I enjoy them,” says Gartman. It was a packed house here for most of the afternoon, a crowd that brought out familiar faces like Virginia and Oscar Lovelace. They say they’ve missed the S & S since it’s been gone. “Oh, I had to open my kitchen back up on Sundays and that was horrible,” says Virginia Lovelace. Needless to say, they were excited for today. “We have been praying for that so we said, Hallelujah!,” says Lovelace. They also have a few favorites. “Pecan pie,” says Oscar Lovelace. “Fried chicken and the watermelon,” says Virginia Lovelace. Crandall Sims reporting, “Customers here say the fried chicken is so good, that Paul Deen herself may have come here to learn how to make it.” But is it true? “I don’t know about that, I don’t do the cooking,” says Gartman. So what will Mrs. Lovelace do on Sundays from now on? “Well I guess I’ll have to close the kitchen back up,” says Virginia Lovelace. Good food, good crowd, there’s only one thing left to say here. “Welcome home, Forest Acres,” says Martin.