Doyle: My family has lived in Fairhope for two generations. My grandfather, Nathaniel B. Porter, worked for the Grand Hotel. He was overseer of the farm during the ‘40s and ‘50s. It’s my understanding that he raised chickens. The chickens and eggs went to the hotel. My Dad, Robert G. Porter, prepared food at the Grand and eventually retired as the assistant chef. We have a letter of appreciation from Marriott hotels, giving honor to his 45+ years of service. Daddy met a large number of golfers and movie stars from his time in service with the corporation.
I attended school at the former Anna T. Jeans Junior High School and was in the first wave of integration into Fairhope High School. My Mother, Mamie L. Hamilton Porter, was an educator and graduated from Alabama State Teachers College. She wanted us to co-exist with the rest of the population and therefore get the same education as other children in Fairhope. Integration was a fairly easy transition for my brother and me. Several of my classmates were white and came over to play basketball at our home. We are still friends today.
When I was a young boy, mom took us to the courthouse in Bay Minette. One water fountain was marked “White Only” and the other was “Colored Only.” Water pressure on the fountain identified as “Black Only” was so low that I had to suck water from the spout. I went to the other fountain. My mother made me aware of the sign and sign compliance. I was too young to understand. I thought all of the water came from the same pipes.
We would visit a few stores in town: Fairhope Drug Store, Bedsoles, The Five and Dime Store, The Gulf Station, and McKean Hardware. The restaurants were mainly “White only.” We were served at the back door. We never went swimming at the pier. To me, it was no big deal and best to travel the road of least resistance. We went to Mullet Point, Mary Ann Beach, or Big Mouth on Week’s Bay. But once the schools integrated and I had my own transportation, I went to the pier.
When I grew up, Highway 98 was mainly farmland—pecan orchards, corn and potato fields, and several dairies. My brother and I wanted to help support the family. We started with the lawnmower Dad brought and soon wore it out. He took us to Western Auto and allowed us to purchase a big wheel self-propelled mower, but we were responsible for paying the monthly note. We pushed that mower all over Fairhope, from our house on Nichols down to the bay. We charged $5, but often got $20 because customers were pleased with our work.
Mr. Niemeyer, (owner of Niemeyer Realty) saw us cutting grass at a rental property next to his and asked us to come work for him doing odd jobs. Those became full-time jobs at Schermer Pecan Company. That property is now The Fairhope Public Library.
I also did construction work for Mr. Niemyer, and he sent me to Alabama Aviation College. I worked for him and went to college. I graduated and got a mechanic job at Fairhope Airport.
I later worked for Continental Motors and spent 35 years and seven months there. I worked in research and development, production, and building aircraft engines. I became a supervisor. My title was manufacturing engineer. I did tool design, wrote assembly instructions, and made thorough evaluations. I retired in 2018 with 40 years of aviation experience. I thought I was going to relax, but my wife had other plans.
JoEllen: I grew up in Indiana and lived in several states before relocating to Alabama. I worked for WorldCom for 13 years prior to the big layoff and moved to Mobile in 2003. My Dad worked for GM for 45 plus years. My mom was a keypunch operator for a couple of banks and the State of Indiana. I followed in her footsteps loving math.
There were a lot of things my parents and grandparents experienced, but they didn’t talk about it. My maternal grandparents had it a little easier because their skin complexion was “lighter than a paper bag” and it was easier to fit in. My grandmother worked inside her employer’s home, as the housekeeper and cook in Bowling Green, KY and my grandfather was the chauffeur for the bankers of the Federal Reserve. I was amazed to learn they earned $5.00 per week. They had four children. They managed by having permission to take home the leftover food each evening.
I was offered a job in Mobile the day I was laid off from WorldCom and I met Doyle on an online dating site. Our first date was at BigTime diner. We talked and never ate. We were divorcees with children and found a new love. We have seven kids (one is a Navy Seal) and 17 grandkids between us.
One day I got sick and found out that Doyle could cook. He was tricking me. He cooked after that.
Doyle: You’ve got good groceries on the table already. Why change it? There was no reason for me to fight that.
JoEllen: He is smooth, but that didn’t work.
Doyle: I wasn’t ready to leave Continental Motors, but JoEllen wanted to open a restaurant and I wanted to keep her happy. My earlier years, I was the weekend cook and pitmaster in our neighborhood. We had big gatherings and enjoyed people eating at our house. I loved seeing people bite into my food.
JoEllen: Once the Insurance Company downsized in 2009, I retired. I took a break for a few months and decided to work part-time. I worked the front counter as cashier for R Bistro, Ox Kitchen and TexarBama BBQ. I greeted everyone who walked in. We bought our 26’ Smoker Trailer from TexarBama. Bradley Parmer and Casey Carrington helped us get started in the business. We found a food truck and started serving at the end of 2018. COVID was a setback, but we catered at apartment complexes, subdivisions, and businesses. We found our restaurant location on Fairhope Avenue and opened on Labor Day 2021. The hardest part is hiring staff that will work the hours needed.
We want to serve great food and make people feel good when they come here. We also want to show our children and grandchildren what is possible and leave something to them.
Doyle: My great aunt, Mrs. Ruth Battle Loyal and her husband ran a taxi service in the ‘30s and ‘40s that was in the building next door. I think that was the first Black-owned business in downtown Fairhope. As far as I know, there was not another Black establishment downtown until we opened.
My dad and grandfather would be amazed to see this. My dad didn’t let me work with him at the Grand Hotel because he wanted me to do something besides cooking. If he saw this, I think he would pat me on the shoulder. We have come full circle.”
(Porterhouse BBQ Restaurant is located at 410 Fairhope Avenue)
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The Our Southern Souls book is available online at www.BuyOurSouthernSouls. You can pick up a copy at Page and Palette, The Fairhope Store or Melt and More in Fairhope, or at Ashland Gallery and the Haunted Book Shop in Mobile
(Porterhouse BBQ Restaurant is located at 410 Fairhope Avenue)
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The Our Southern Souls book is available online at www.BuyOurSouthernSouls. You can pick up a copy at Page and Palette, The Fairhope Store or Melt and More in Fairhope, or at Ashland Gallery and the Haunted Book Shop in Mobile.
Can’t wait to try this place!!