Muslims Don't Like Barbecue?/Tammy Holden

This story made the rounds long before 9/11 made “Muslim” a household word and few knew many of the religion’s customs and dietary restrictions: An up and coming young executive, ‘Bama born and bred, was assigned to take some foreign customers to tour his company’s Athens facility. He duly withdrew money from petty cash to pay for their lunch; after all, it was going to be a long day.

The clerk who handled petty cash noted later in the day that a lobby sign welcomed the visitors—from Saudi Arabia. The next day the young executive duly brought his lunch receipt and change to the clerk. She related that she thought it was odd that he had so much money left. Where and what had they eaten?

A quick look at the receipt showed one sandwich and three soft drinks. The name of the eatery? The Greenbrier Barbecue. Our friend didn’t know whether to laugh a little…or to laugh a lot.

Things certainly do change.

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Early next year, the owners of the Athens 306 BBQ will be opening a second location in the old Greenbrier building that suffered fire damage in 2013.

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This is former Sheffield street department employee Tammy Holden. She's suing the city over her termination. Stay tuned...

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306 Is Coming/Sheffield's Not Too Speedy

306 BBQ: It’s coming and it’s coming to the old McCorkle’s Furniture Store location. Things change. Want an elegant interior? Hire an interior designer and have him/her order your new décor. It’s much like our recent blog on self-checkouts; a small niche store is not usually financially feasible, at least in Florence, Alabama.

But we have barbecue. We have, in fact, a huge barbecue restaurant to lure more diners downtown. Can’t get a table at Rosie’s or Trowbridge’s? Walk three steps down to the 306.

In fact, 306 is actually two eateries in one. There will be take-out in front and a bar/dine-in area in back. The official name with be 306 BBQ & Back Alley Sports Bar. One has to wonder just how large their sign will be to get that mouthful in. One also has to wonder how those residing in the new 1K/month luxury apartments on the two floors above will feel about a sign on their building proclaiming “Back Alley.”

Oh, who operate 306? They’re not the original 306 guys from Athens, but the first franchisees of the Athens guys, Chris Whitten and Glenn Hoffman.

Want a job there? They’re opening in two weeks and hiring right now: 306bbq.florence@gmail.com.

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From J. Redmon:

Where is it? It's been a couple of months since I reported the apparent intent by the City of Sheffield to install a 'speed hump' in the immediate vicinity of Sheffield High School. I applauded this decision, having wondered in the past (For the record, I am STILL wondering.) why Threadgill Primary was the only Sheffield City School deemed 'worthy' of such devices. Will a student or school staff member have to be hit by a speeding car at Sheffield High School or L. E. Willson School before the City of Sheffield gets off its duff and acts? This ISN'T rocket science, folks.


Tomorrow: Fast times at Greenbrier Barbecue—you don’t want to miss it.



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