It’s taken a few more months than expected, and there’s been a few setbacks or changes along the way, but Mike’s Cafe on Alabama 99 is now less than a week from opening — and owner Mike Holt says he and wife Jan can’t be grateful enough for the help and support they’ve had getting to this point.

The cafe sits at the intersection of Tillman Mill Road and Alabama 99, and the Holts say drivers who pass by have been honking or stopping in to ask for months about when it will finally be ready to open. The answer, they are happy to announce, is Monday, May 17. There will even be an open house Saturday so potential customers can preview the restaurant.

“We’ll give away some ice cream, and I got a buddy that might have him and his band come out,” Mike Holt said. “We’ll just have a little open house so people can walk through and see where the food’s gonna be at, how it’s gonna be prepared, and just welcome them to come back on Monday.”

On Monday, the cafe will open bright and early at 5 a.m. for a full country breakfast. Hamburger steaks are still on the menu starting at 11 a.m. and continuing through dinner, with a special dinner item each night and a variety of ice cream dishes available throughout the day.

Dinner doesn’t have the only special menu item, though.

“The menu’s got sentimental value, I guess you’d say,” Jan Holt said. “We’ve got Snipe’s Burger, after my daddy and momma, then Mike’s Country Burger, and then Pinky’s Pretzels.”

Her father was the first to open a restaurant at that location, and he was originally set to help train new cooks on how to make the perfect Snipe’s Burger. Now, he’ll just be sampling, the Holts said, but he’s still as excited as they are about the cafe opening.

Pinky’s Pretzels is a reference to a trip the Holts took to New Orleans to visit grandchildren. The kids refer to Jan as “Pinky,” and while visiting, they ate a restaurant that served huge pretzels. Jan Holt said she contacted the restaurant to see where they got the pretzels, and now those same pretzels will be available at Mike’s Cafe.

The other grandkids are behind Mawmaw’s Pancakes, which are specially decorated pancakes served each time they visit the Holts’ house.

Other changes

As if pretzels, pancakes and burgers weren’t enough to leave a customer’s stomach growling, Mike’s Cafe will also offer smoked wings, pork and ribs. Mike Holt said he’s already hosted a couple of “sampling” events, and even he was surprised by how great it turned out.

“I’m not saying that just ’cause I smoked and cooked them,” he said. “They’re some of the best wings I ever ate.”

That said, not every change over the last few months has been a happy one. Among the cafe’s original staff list was Camellia, formerly of Camellia’s Restaurant in Tanner, but had to decline due to health issues, Mike Holt said. He added they were able to find another cook, and should Camellia decide to join the staff later, “she’s always welcome and she knows that.”

There are still part-time positions available for those who have restaurant experience. Those interested can learn more by calling 256-777-4125.

Grateful

“The community has been real patient with us,” Mike Holt said. “All along the way, we’ve met a lot of new folks that we didn’t know.”

The Holts said even though the cafe has taken more than twice as long as expected to open, they’ve already established a steady stream of visitors from all over.

“I am humbled beyond belief, and I have people that pull up all the time,” Mike Holt said. “We have people from Rogersville, East Limestone, Tennessee, Huntsville … and they either heard about us through the newspaper or word of mouth or just driving by.”

He said some will stop and take pictures of the building or ask how much longer until it opens. He apologized for it taking so long but stressed the cafe was still there and still on track to open.

“We didn’t want to open until we were ready to open,” Jan Holt said.

“We just want to make sure everything was ready to go,” Mike Holt added.

He said the cafe has been “an achievement,” and he can’t wait to welcome the community in for a good old-fashioned cafe experience. Despite everything, he still has a dream of providing a place to eat and hang out, enjoy cornhole or live music outside and find ways to give back to the Owens community.

And, he said, it would never have been possible had it not been for the community volunteers, family and friends who have helped along the way.