Beverly Thompson knew when she walked away from her restaurant in Hollywood more than a decade ago the business was something that was never going to leave.
It was the atmosphere, the people, the down-home atmosphere.
After turning her life over to God and choosing to part ways with the old bad habits and influences that were dragging her down, Thompson eventually moved up to Monterey where she took a job working for the county, and would find love and a husband before ultimately relocating to Stockton.
But it was when she was visiting her father more than a year ago when she passed by the abandoned restaurant on West Yosemite Avenue across from Kaiser Hospital had been vacant for years she finally got the itch she knew would come back.
It would eventually become Miss Bev’s House of Soul – the down-home, southern-style joint that she knew and loved which officially opened its doors on March 14 after nine months of repairs and renovation.
“There were a lot of times that I wanted to throw my hands up in the air and say ‘forget it,’” Thompson said of the long and arduous process of readying a building that had been home to multiple tenants before a long period of vacancy. “But with God’s grace we were finally able to get everything in order and up and running, and so far it’s been amazing.”
With a menu that draws heavily from Thompson’s Texas upbringing, Miss Bev’s House of Soul was somewhat of a departure from the previous businesses that had operated as both a restaurant and a bar.
When the building’s owner asked Thompson if she’d be applying for a liquor license, she informed him that she had other plans – keeping the atmosphere geared towards families, and offering smoothies instead of the cocktails that were normally served up.
And keeping true to the home-style roots that she remembers from her previous restaurant, Thomspon focused heavily on making everything from scratch.
“Everybody is so used to all of the fast food and the processed food – we wanted to do something that was people would enjoy,” Thompson said. “From the fish and the ribs and the chicken to the pastries – we make everything here on site.
“There’s just something about food made from scratch that makes it so much better.”
In addition to home-style favorites, Miss Bev’s also serves a handful of seafood favorites including Dungeness crab, oysters and shrimp, and offers both gumbo and clam chowder on the weekends. Southern-style breakfasts are also served on every business day.
The restaurant is located at 1800 W. Yosemite Avenue, and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. For more information, or to phone in an order, call 624-3051. Those interested can also visit www.bevshouseofsoul.info
It was the atmosphere, the people, the down-home atmosphere.
After turning her life over to God and choosing to part ways with the old bad habits and influences that were dragging her down, Thompson eventually moved up to Monterey where she took a job working for the county, and would find love and a husband before ultimately relocating to Stockton.
But it was when she was visiting her father more than a year ago when she passed by the abandoned restaurant on West Yosemite Avenue across from Kaiser Hospital had been vacant for years she finally got the itch she knew would come back.
It would eventually become Miss Bev’s House of Soul – the down-home, southern-style joint that she knew and loved which officially opened its doors on March 14 after nine months of repairs and renovation.
“There were a lot of times that I wanted to throw my hands up in the air and say ‘forget it,’” Thompson said of the long and arduous process of readying a building that had been home to multiple tenants before a long period of vacancy. “But with God’s grace we were finally able to get everything in order and up and running, and so far it’s been amazing.”
With a menu that draws heavily from Thompson’s Texas upbringing, Miss Bev’s House of Soul was somewhat of a departure from the previous businesses that had operated as both a restaurant and a bar.
When the building’s owner asked Thompson if she’d be applying for a liquor license, she informed him that she had other plans – keeping the atmosphere geared towards families, and offering smoothies instead of the cocktails that were normally served up.
And keeping true to the home-style roots that she remembers from her previous restaurant, Thomspon focused heavily on making everything from scratch.
“Everybody is so used to all of the fast food and the processed food – we wanted to do something that was people would enjoy,” Thompson said. “From the fish and the ribs and the chicken to the pastries – we make everything here on site.
“There’s just something about food made from scratch that makes it so much better.”
In addition to home-style favorites, Miss Bev’s also serves a handful of seafood favorites including Dungeness crab, oysters and shrimp, and offers both gumbo and clam chowder on the weekends. Southern-style breakfasts are also served on every business day.
The restaurant is located at 1800 W. Yosemite Avenue, and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. For more information, or to phone in an order, call 624-3051. Those interested can also visit www.bevshouseofsoul.info
