Small Town Restaurant Owner Shares Her Secret to Three Decades of Business
On an early September morning in the transition between summer and fall, Mrs. Bernice Washington is right on schedule with getting her hot bar fully loaded. With only a few minutes left to prepare things before it’s time to open the doors of Aliceville Religious Center, she still makes time for a warm greeting before she talks about being in the restaurant business for three decades.
Aliceville Religious Center, a staple in the small town of Aliceville, Alabama
that’s known as Willie Washington’s to many locals, has been serving up delicious southern and comfort food since 1993. Some local favorites are fried chicken wings, spaghetti, and beef tips.
Mrs.Bernice Washington and her late husband, Willie Washington Jr., a former gospel music promoter and radio announcer at WRAG, married on September 11, 1993, and opened the doors to Aliceville Religious Center just hours after the wedding. "He liked gospel singing, and I was a great cook. We got married and opened up for business later that day. That was my honeymoon," said Mrs. Washington. The establishment serves as a restaurant as well as a multipurpose facility for gospel concerts, revivals, and other different church programs.
Just moments after changing into a houndstooth blouse from her scrub uniform top that she had been preparing food in, Mrs. Washington sat for a photo with a smile and stated that she had been cooking since the age of 12. "A secret to longevity in business is having a real interest in your work. If the food is happily made, you know it has to taste good", she said. She continued, "I always stayed the same and do what I always do. I’m happy to serve the community or whoever The Lord sends through the door. I pray before opening the doors. I don’t worry about anybody else business. I know that whatever is for me is what I will get."
One common statistic about restaurants is that most fail within the first year. The small town of Aliceville, Alabama, has seen many locally owned as well as franchised restaurants come and go over the years. With warm welcomes, delicious food, and imperishable faith, Mrs. Washington celebrates 30 years in business with Aliceville Religious Center.
