The Tribune is highlighting small businesses around Cullman County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Know of one we should feature? Email maggie@cullmantribune.com.
TRIMBLE, Ala. – Since 1992, Bruce and Beatrice Whitlock have offered a variety of services to the Trimble area at Whitlock’s General Store and Cafe, “known for family values, great food and hospitality.”
If you’ve visited Smith Lake in Cullman County, chances are you’ve stopped by Whitlock’s for gas, essentials, supplies or one of its locally-famous burgers.
“We’ve been in this building for about 22 years,” said Bruce Whitlock. “We built it. We originally owned a little building on the corner; we were there for five years, then that building got in bad shape and we took it down and built our current building. We’d never been in the cafe or food business until we opened this (cafe) up. I had worked in retail, but I never owned a business before this.”
Whitlock said the cafe is not doing inside dining at the moment, only take-out, but the store has been beefed up.
“Right now, we don’t have (inside) dining, but typically we do. We have a wide range on our menu: hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, hamburger steaks, Philly steaks, just all kinds of sandwiches. And then in our store, we offer gas, tobacco products, hardware, plumbing, just your regular convenience store-type stuff. We’ve just done an update in the store. We spent several thousand dollars putting new hardware in. The word’s getting out and it’s doing really well!”
Business-wise, Whitlock’s has been unfazed by COVID-19.
“It hasn’t impacted us very much, with being on the entrance to Smith Lake and close to Smith Lake Park,” said Whitlock. “A lot of people are fishing; people are still going to the lake with their families. We’re seeing a whole lot more family activity with parents carrying their kids fishing and everything. So really, it hasn’t impacted us very much at all. Our takeout business is very much really good. Obviously, it’s hurt our restaurant some, not significantly though. We did not have to close down; we continued doing takeout ordering. In the beginning, we had two tables out in front (of the café) and the health department told us we could not do that and so we brought them in. Then after the governor opened things back up, we carried the two tables back out there so people can sit out there.”
He said he and his staff are following enhanced health guidelines to make sure everyone is safe, sharing, “Our server wears a face mask. We’re constantly cleaning door handles, counters. We’re doing what we can, what we’re supposed to do. Same thing with next door at the general store, we’re cleaning door handles and the counter, all the cooler doors and handles.”
Whitlock’s General Store and Cafe is located at 6446 County Road 222, Cullman, AL 35057 and is open every day from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m., except for Sundays, when it closes at 8 p.m.
Find out more at www.facebook.com/whitlockstoreandcafe or www.whitlockstoreandcafe.com.
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