Parker’s Announces Landmark $20 Million Donation to Support Communities Throughout Georgia and South Carolina
Parker’s – a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader that was named the 2020 Convenience Store Decisions Chain of the Year – recently donated a record $20 million to support charitable initiatives throughout the company’s corporate footprint in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
The Parker’s Community Fund, which will be administered by the Savannah Community Foundation, will support a range of charitable causes across the region. A new Community Impact Committee is being formed to make decisions about how to allocate the funds strategically in order to make the biggest impact.
“At Parker’s we have a profound commitment to giving back to the communities that have supported us over the years,” said Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker, who was recently inducted into the Convenience Store Hall of Fame. “This initial gift of $20 million is the beginning of a fund that we intend to grow. The new Parker’s Community Fund will allow us to make an even bigger impact in the future, supporting important causes that matter most to our customers.”
Known for its longstanding commitment to charitable giving, Parker’s is one of the most generous companies in the convenience store industry and in the Southeast. In recent years, Parker’s endowed the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Ga., and made a record $5 million donation to the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University, supporting the next generation of business leaders in Georgia.
In addition, the company’s acclaimed Fueling the Community charitable giving initiative gives back to every community where Parker’s does business. A percentage of the gas sold at all Parker’s locations on the first Wednesday of the month is donated to the Fueling the Community program.
“The Parker’s Community Fund stands apart as the largest single donation to the Savannah Community Foundation in our 65-year history,” said Savannah Community Foundation President Russ Simpson. “We’re incredibly honored that Parker’s selected the Savannah Community Foundation to manage this donor-advised fund. It will be exciting to see how this fund will support so many organizations in Georgia and South Carolina in the future.”
Since its founding in 1976, Parker’s has grown from a one-store operation in Midway, Ga. to an award-winning, 68-store company with state-of-the-art convenience stores located throughout Georgia and South Carolina, serving delicious, award-winning Southern-inspired Parker’s Kitchen food that’s made from scratch on-site. Parker’s was recently named the 2020 Convenience Store Decisions Chain of the Year, which is the convenience store industry’s highest honor, and was voted one of America’s top 10 gas station brands by USA TODAY readers. The company also earned a 2020 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award, which is presented to the top 10% of restaurants across the United States.
Currently celebrating its 45th anniversary, Parker’s has been included on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies for five years and has been honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores, by The Shelby Report as the Southeast Retailer of the Year and by Convenience Store News as the Foodservice Leader of the Year. The Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 210,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date.
Parker’s stands apart as one of America’s most respected convenience store brands and is known for having the cleanest stores in the industry. The company serves award-winning Southern-inspired food, offers an acclaimed Parker’s Rewards program and gives back to every community where it does business through the Fueling the Community charitable giving program. Parker’s employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout the region and completes more than 125,000 transactions daily.
Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker, center right, recently presented a record $20 million donation to Savannah Community Foundation President Russ Simpson, center, to create the Parker’s Community Fund, which will benefit a wide range of charitable initiatives in coastal South Carolina and Georgia. Parker’s Chief Innovation Officer Eric Jones, Parker’s Chief of Staff Kate Smith, Parker’s President Jeff Bush, Savannah Community Foundation Board Chairman Stephen Leonard, Parker’s Chief Operations Officer Brandon Hofmann, Parker’s Chief Financial Officer Brian Prevatt and Parker’s General Counsel Blake Greco (l-r) also attended the check presentation ceremony.
ABOUT PARKER’S:
Honored as the 2020 Convenience Store Decisions Chain of the Year, Parker’s is strategically redefining the nation’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and foodservice companies. Parker’s Kitchen, the popular food-centric brand under the Parker’s umbrella, serves world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders as well as made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 210,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $15 million to date. Learn more: www.parkerskitchen.com.
RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
● Hall of Fame Inductee – Convenience Store News
● 2020 Best Gas Station Brand Top 10 – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards
● 2020 Convenience Store Chain of the Year – Convenience Store Decisions
● 2020 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award
● Legacy Leader – Georgia Trend
● America’s Best Convenience Stores – Food and Wine
● 2019 Southeast Retailer of the Year – The Shelby Report
● 2019 Fastest Growing Companies in America – Inc. 5000
● 2018 Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year – Convenience Store News
● Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
● 50 Most Influential People in Convenience Store History – Convenience Store News
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Magazine Best of Savannah Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald “Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
● Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
● Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
● Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
● Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
● Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
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Downtown Tent & Sidewalk Sale
Bring your family and shop safely with the Downtown Tent & Sidewalk sale on December 10-12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday till 8 p.m.
Shop Local! Participating businesses will have a tent set up on the front of their store, with exciting deals to choose from. You’ll be able to find gifts for everyone on your list: Clothing, Pottery, Antiques, Furniture, Bicycles and even Christmas Treats!
Participating businesses include: R.J Pope, L.A Waters, Frills, Split Endz, Miracles, Little Lovely Clothing Co., Honey Too, Fraziers Flowers, Jaxe & Grace, Vintage Barbers, Pladd Dot, Galactic Comics, Southern Pottery, Board and Brush, Posh, Recycled Cycles and more!
They’ll also have presentations that weekend at Averitt Center, with shows like Lady Legends.
Details at: https://www.averittcenterforthearts.org/lady-legends-and-guests
Missing Chilitown? No Worries! The Statesboro Natural Gas Department will provide wrapped chili dogs (while supplies last) on Friday Night from 5-8 p.m, across from City Hall.
And, who knows? They might even have a friendly visit from Santa!
Eat, Shop and Play in Downtown Statesboro from Dec 10-12!
For more information, please contact the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority by calling them at (912)764-7227 or emailing them at mainstreet@statesborodowntown.com.
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Ogeechee Riverkeeper Announces Inaugural Photo Contest
Multiple categories will put on a spotlight the beauty of the area.
Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) is soliciting the best photographs from across the watershed. Judges will be looking for images that highlight what makes the Ogeechee and Canoochee Rivers, and the surrounding areas, remarkable.
“From the Ogeechee Shoals to the wide estuaries, pine forests to coastal marshes, our watershed is home to an incredible variety of ecological features,” said Meaghan Walsh Gerard, communications director for ORK. “We are also a habitat for more than 160 rare species of plants and animals. By displaying the amazing ecological wealth we have, we hope to inspire more people to protect it.”
Photographers can enter in multiple categories: Landscape, portrait, wildlife, plant life, underwater, aerial, black and white, and funny wildlife. Since this will be an annual event each December, ORK requests that any images submitted be taken within the same calendar year. ORK hopes to see entries from across the 5,500 square miles of the watershed.
Complete rules and submission guidelines are available at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/annual-photography-contest. Submissions are due by December 20, 2020.
About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. At 245 miles long, the Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,000 square miles of land. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.
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GSUPAC and Statesboro’s Staying in Stitches Quilt Guild to Host First-Ever Quilt Exhibit
The Performing Arts Center at Georgia Southern and Statesboro’s Staying in Stitches Quilt Guild are partnering to host a one-of-a-kind event. Open to the public from Saturday, October 31, through Sunday, November 8, “We Quilt This City: A Statesboro Quilt Show” is sure to delight quilt and art lovers alike!
This walk-through quilt exhibit will feature a display of exquisite and special pieces created by members of our very own community! Featuring dozens of beautiful, unique, and handmade quilts, thoughtfully arranged using the architectural and structural features of the GSUPAC theater and lobby, this exhibit will be free and open to the public between the hours of 10am-4pm each day. Come and experience these traditional, one-of-a-kind works of art in a new and exciting way!
GSUPAC Director Stacie McDaniel says, “We are excited to safely welcome the public back to our theatre with this quilt show, both as an avenue for cultural enrichment, as the quilting tradition is an important aspect of southern culture, but also as a way to explore the diversity and uniqueness of this craft. Throughout history, quilting bees have brought communities together, and I hope that we can bring you a little piece of that tradition!”
This event is free and no tickets are needed. A $5 contribution is encouraged and can be made at the PAC website at www.georgiasouthern.edu/pac, or in person at the exhibit. These funds will help to cover some of the costs of this show, as well as supporting a gift to local charity.
For the health and safety of all patrons and staff, appropriate face coverings will be required inside the Performing Arts Center and throughout the exhibit. They ask that all attendees respect social distancing guidelines; capacity will be limited to 50 attendees at a time. They will provide hand sanitizer and will adhere to state and institutional guidelines regarding cleaning and sanitization procedures.
For more information, please reach them via email at pac@georgiasouthern.edu, or interact with them through their social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For more information, please contact:
Stacie McDaniel
(912) 478-0830
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Parker’s Donates $11,000 to Support Students and Teachers at Bulloch County Schools
Parker’s — a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader that was named the 2020 CStore Decisions Convenience Store Chain of the Year — recently donated $11,000 to Bulloch County Schools as part of the company’s Fueling the Community program, which donates one cent of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to local schools.
The check presentation took place at the Bulloch County Schools’ Central Office at the William James Educational Complex in Statesboro, Ga. on Oct. 7. Superintendent of Schools Charles Wilson and district principals accepted the donation on behalf of Bulloch County Schools. The donation is part of nearly $150,000 the company is donating to schools in Georgia and South Carolina this fall.
“We’re honored to support Bulloch County’s teachers and students through our Fueling the Community program,” said Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker. “At Parker’s, we believe it’s important to invest in the communities we serve, especially during these difficult times, and there is no better way to do that than to support education right here in Bulloch County.”
Launched in 2011 with a mission to give back to every community where Parker’s does business, the Parker’s Fueling the Community charitable initiative distributes more than $200,000 annually to public and private schools throughout Georgia and South Carolina. To date, Parker’s has donated more than $1 million to area schools through the program.
Deeply engaged with the communities it serves, Parker’s endows the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital in Savannah and spearheads the Keep Savannah Clean anti-litter campaign. In 2019, Parker’s also donated a record $5 million to create the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University.
Founded in 1976, Parker’s is one of America’s most respected convenience store brands and is known for having the cleanest stores in the industry. Parker’s serves award-winning Southern-inspired food and offers an acclaimed Parker’s Rewards program. The company gives back to every community where it does business through the Fueling the Community charitable giving program.
Parker’s has been included on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies for five years and was honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores, by The Shelby Report as the Southeast Retailer of the Year and by Convenience Store News as the Foodservice Leader of the Year. The company employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout the region and completes more than 125,000 transactions daily.
ABOUT PARKER’S:
Honored as the 2020 CStore Decisions Convenience Store Chain of the Year, Parker’s is strategically redefining the nation’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and food service companies. Parker’s Kitchen, the new food-centric brand under the Parker’s umbrella, serves world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders as well as made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 150,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $15 million to date. Learn more: www.parkerskitchen.com.
RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
● 2020 Convenience Store Chain of the Year – CStore Decisions
● 2020 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award
● Legacy Leader – Georgia Trend
● America’s Best Convenience Stores – Food and Wine
● 2019 Southeast Retailer of the Year – The Shelby Report
● 2019 Fastest Growing Companies in America – Inc. 5000
● 2018 Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year – Convenience Store News
● Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
● 50 Most Influential People in Convenience Store History – Convenience Store News
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Magazine Best of Savannah Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald “Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
● Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
● Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
● Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
● Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
● Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
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Georgia Safety Promise Reaches More Than 1,000 Commitments
Statewide initiative for a ‘healthy Georgia’ gains momentum as participant numbers continue to grow.
As billboards and a variety of grassroots promotions continue across the state, the Georgia Safety Promise public-private partnership, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), has announced that more than 1,000 Georgia businesses, local authorities and officials throughout the state have committed to the Georgia Safety Promise.
Governor Brian P. Kemp launched the Georgia Safety Promise last month to encourage all Georgians to do their part to keep Georgia healthy and open for business by following the latest Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines, including wearing masks, maintaining social distance, and regularly washing and sanitizing hands and surfaces.
Large and small businesses, from restaurants, hotels and salons, to manufacturers, banks and retailers, have made the Promise to do their part to stop the spread of the virus. Additionally, individual chambers of commerce, municipalities, economic development agencies and tourist destinations across the state have committed to the Promise.
Many signers include businesses with multiple locations in the state, bringing the total number of commitments well above the 1,000 mark. To view the full list of participants in the Georgia Safety Promise, click here.
“I commend our state’s business owners and leaders for heeding public health guidelines, encouraging best practices, and doing their part to keep their fellow neighbors safe as we continue to fight COVID-19,” said Governor Kemp.
The Georgia Chamber has become an official partner of the Promise, joining the Georgia Restaurant Association and other key industry organizations that have committed to the Georgia Safety Promise.
Official supporters also leading the effort include the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Korean American Restaurant Association and The Home Depot. Small businesses such as Atlanta’s Park Tavern are featuring their commitment on the home page of their website; tourist destinations such as Albany’s Chehaw Park and Zoo, the Flint RiverQuarium, and Thronateeska Heritage Center have joined together as members of the Artesian Alliance; and the Mayor’s Youth Council in the City of Douglas, Georgia, has said, “I’m in,” for the Georgia Safety Promise with a special public service announcement.
Business and industry-leading partners recently penned an op-ed published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgians and businesses: Commit to the Safety Promise, outlining the resiliency of the Georgia business community, and the measures implemented to keep the workplace safe for employees and patrons.
“This state is home to world-renowned restaurants, vibrant cities filled with history and culture, and nearly 800,000 small businesses,” wrote leaders from the Georgia Restaurant Association, Georgia Retailers Association, Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Bankers Association, Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business. “It is up to all of us to keep Georgia safe so it can continue to remain open for all to enjoy. Taking the Georgia Safety Promise is a simple, but critical way to do just that.”
Participants in the Georgia Safety Promise voluntarily agree to follow the latest guidelines from the Governor’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Health. Those who join the campaign receive a full digital toolkit of resources to help publicly share their commitment, including social media posts, signage and more.
In addition to signage in participating businesses, the Georgia Safety Promise campaign is being promoted on digital billboards around the state through the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia. Participating businesses who agree to the Promise are also displayed on a comprehensive list of participants on the Georgia Safety Promise website.
“I appreciate our partners in both the public and private sectors for continuing to promote the Georgia Safety Promise in their local communities,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson.“From Valdosta to Blue Ridge, the Georgia Safety Promise is not only helping encourage Georgians to follow crucial public health guidelines, but also assisting in restoring consumer confidence so our local businesses can safely remain open.”
To learn more and make the Georgia Safety Promise, visit www.GeorgiaSafetyPromise.com.
About the Georgia Safety Promise
The Georgia Safety Promise campaign is led by the Office of the Governor and is supported in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Georgia Bankers Association, Georgia Chamber, Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Georgia Retailers Association, Georgia Restaurant Association, and Georgia National Federation of Independent Businesses.
About GDEcD
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Visit www.georgia.org for more information.
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Parker’s Donates 600 KN95 Masks to Frontline COVID-19 Healthcare Providers at East Georgia Regional Medical Center
Parker’s, an award-winning, nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader, recently donated 600 KN95 masks to frontline healthcare providers at East Georgia Regional Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On behalf of our entire East Georgia Regional Medical Center family, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Parker’s for their recent donation of KN95 masks for our healthcare team,” said Jenny Maddi, BSN RN, patient safety officer and director of risk management at East Georgia Regional Medical Center. “Through this donation, we will continue to be able to protect our staff and provide the best care to our patients and community. We are very thankful for this support and appreciate Parker’s for always being an engaged partner in our community.”
To date, Parker’s has donated over 7,000 KN95 masks to hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
“We’re honored to serve our healthcare heroes, who are providing exceptional medical care to area residents throughout the Coronavirus pandemic,” said Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker. “We know that mask shortages have impacted our community and want to make sure our doctors, nurses, clinicians and staff members have the Personal Protective Equipment they need to stay safe while caring for patients.”
Founded in 1976, Parker’s is one of America’s most respected convenience store brands. Parker’s gives back to every community where it does business through the Fueling the Community charitable giving program, which donates a portion of gas sold at all Parker’s locations on the first Wednesday of the month to area schools, healthcare facilities and other important causes. To date, the company has given more than $7 million in local charitable donations.
Parker’s has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Companies in America for five years and currently has 66 retail stores throughout coastal Georgia and South Carolina. The company employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout the region and completes more than 125,000 transactions daily.
ABOUT PARKER’S:
Known as America’s cleanest convenience store company, Parker’s is strategically redefining the nation’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and food service companies. Parker’s Kitchen, the new food-centric brand under the Parker’s umbrella, serves world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders as well as made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 150,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $10 million to date. Learn more: www.parkersav.com.
RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
● America’s Best Convenience Stores – Food and Wine
● 2019 Southeast Retailer of the Year – The Shelby Report
● 2019 Fastest Growing Companies in America – Inc. 5000
● 2018 Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year – Convenience Store News
● Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
● 50 Most Influential People in Convenience Store History – Convenience Store News
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Magazine Best of Savannah Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald “Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
● Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
● Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
● Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
● Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
● Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
● Citizen of the Year Award – Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club
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Market2GO Vendor: The 24/7 House, Inc.
All of the Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market vendors have a story. Some are of decades old generational family farms. Some are of the desire to see healthier food options and increased environmental sustainability. And some are simply those who turned hobbies or crafts into steady sales. The 24/7 House, Inc. is no different. Here is their story.
The 24/7 House is a faith-based residential recovery facility that began in 2009. They operate in a renovated nursing home purchased from Appling County Healthcare Systems for $1.00, serving men and women who are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. The staff conduct a multi-faceted and comprehensive program for recovery. Residents participate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a minimum of one year to achieve a success rate that is over twice the industry average.
One part of that program is the greenhouse.
All residents at 24/7 House work in the greenhouse where they cultivate and harvest hydroponic local produce everyday. Currently, that includes living butterhead lettuce, camaro cucumbers, vine ripened beefsteak tomatoes (large and small), and green beefsteak tomatoes (perfect for frying!).
All proceeds from 24/7 Houses’ farmers market and Market2Go go to helping addicts in recovery.
Visit twentyfour7houseinc.com come for more information.
Go to statesboromarket2go.locallygrown.net to order from 24/7 House and dozens of other farmers market vendors.
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Vandy’s Barbecue: A Constant Companion
Vandy’s Barbecue is the very definition of a “local institution.” Established in 1929, it celebrated its 90th birthday last year. Their iconic location at 22 West Vine street has been there since 1943, but that was not their original location. Vandy Boyd actually started his business in the town of Portal. He clearly knew what he was doing, since he moved his business into Statesboro’s downtown, taking up residence at the Simmons Shopping Center (formerly located on the block bordered by Elm Street, between North Main and North Walnut). Their “newest” location at the Statesboro Mall is over a generation old, established in 1970.
From their open-style barbecue pit (one of only six left in the state) they serve up roasted pork and chicken, alongside regional favorites like Brunswick stew. Since they use local oak wood to smoke their meat, you can say that everything they do is literally permeated with local flavor!
The restaurant has changed hands several times in the last couple decades but subsequent owners have maintained the local character of the establishment that has served the Statesboro community and beyond for over ninety years.
“It is all about the staff…We have a lot of great people doing a great job.” – Brandon O’Mahoney, Owner
Current owner Brandon O’Mahoney is tenaciously trying to keep the downtown location open for take-out and serving the community while respecting the restrictions around social distancing. O’Mahoney says “It is all about the staff…We have a lot of great people doing a great job.”
Their signature barbecue sauce is available on their website in case you find yourself missing your favorite sauce, or have since moved away and crave a taste of Statesboro.
These are unprecedented times, full of unexpected changes. Locals can take comfort in the fact that one thing that does not seem to change is Vandy’s.
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Blind Willie McTell and the Statesboro Blues
Willliam Samuel “Blind Willie” McTell (May 5, 1898 – August 19, 1959)
Willie McTell was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist that predominantly played Piedmont blues and ragtime. He wrote the song “Statesboro Blues.”
McTell was born at the turn of the 20th century in Thomson, Georgia. His mother brought him to Statesboro where he learned to play the six-string guitar. Eventually he would transition to the 12-string guitar which he would play exclusively for the remainder of his musical career. McTell left Statesboro after the death of his mother and traveled playing music from Atlanta to New York.
Statesboro Blues
McTell wrote “Statesboro Blues” and recorded the song in 1928 with Victor Talking Machine Company.
Blues musician Taj Mahal recorded an adaptation of “Statesboro Blues” on his debut album in 1968. Then in 1971 The Allman Brothers Band released their version of “Statesboro Blues” on their album At Fillmore East. This version of the song has garnered several accolades including being named number nine on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
Blind Willie McTell 
Taj Mahal 
The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East
The song is still played on the radio worldwide and brings many visitors to Statesboro annually.
Blind Willie Statue
The Statesboro Blue Mile Committee commissioned the creation of a statue honoring McTell and graciously decided to place it at the entrance of the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2018.
Installing the marker 
Official Dedication of the Blind Willie McTell Statue 
The marker with telling visitors about Blind Willie 
Blind Willie front and center as we welcome visitors and newcomers to Statesboro 
Sculptor Marc Moulton M.F.A. with his Blind Willie sculpture
Since it’s installation, numerous groups and individuals have stopped by the Visitor Center to see the statue. It’s always a bright spot in our day when we look out the window and catch someone taking a selfie or a picture of their loved ones with Willie.
McTell was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
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