Former White House Restaurant owners Robert White, Emogene White and Betty White Smith, who is Robert’s sister, pose Tuesday in front of the new White House painting at the restaurant. They sold the restaurant to James Pope four years ago.

By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



A Warrior mainstay will soon re-open for business after being closed for almost seven months.

The White House Restaurant on U.S. Hwy. 31 is scheduled to re-open on Sept. 10 after being destroyed by fire on Feb. 17.

Owner James Pope says not to worry; the popular restaurant will serve an identical menu to what it served before the fire.

In addition, the eatery will have the same crew.

“Everyone that was there before will be back,” Pope said. The restaurant employs up to 25 people.

“This is a restaurant that a lot of people in the community grew up with. It’s 20-plus years old,” Pope said. “It was there before a lot of the chain restaurants. It’s been a staple in that community.”

The name White House does not come from the restaurant’s white exterior, but from the original owners of the business.

He said members of the White family are “long-time residents of Warrior” who opened the business in 1988. Pope bought it in 2005.

Many of them still work at the restaurant, including Emogene White, manager, and Betty White Smith, who works in the kitchen.

Emogene White said both women have worked at the restaurant since the Whites opened it.

Many people have been out of work since February and have been drawing unemployment benefits. Despite the tragedy of the fire, White said the event has brought about some good changes to the facility.

There is all new lighting throughout the dining rooms, as well as custom paintings.

“The kitchen is completely different,” she added. “It’s designed a lot better.”

Betty Smith said the kitchen now seems twice as big as before.

The fire that closed White House’s doors started in the kitchen and damaged the entire restaurant, according to Pope.

“The restaurant had to be basically gutted and rebuilt from the ground up,” he said. “The whole interior has been changed.”

The remodel is 95-percent complete, Pope said Monday.

Pope was part owner of several Burger King restaurants before he bought White House in 2005.

“I took the proceeds from the sale of Burger King and bought the White House in Warrior,” Pope said. He owns another restaurant in Alabaster, also called White House.

“We thought of branching out even more, but the economy hit us hard,” he said. “We’re going to stick with what we have for now.”

Pope and City of Warrior leaders are tentatively planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Sept. 9, with the restaurant opening for business on Sept. 10 at 6 a.m.

Pope said the restaurant will still have a family environment, and will feature a daily steam table with three to four meats and eight to 10 vegetables, plus salad and dessert.

Those who want more choices can order from the menu, which is filled with pasta, shrimp, fish, hamburgers and more.

There is also a full menu available for breakfast.

The White House Restaurant is located at 9830 U.S. Hwy. 31. It is open Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 647-8357.