Charlene Joyner and Darlene Davenport bought out their mother’s business Nell’s Restaurant two years ago from their mom Nell Lewis.

Joyner and Davenport are continuing what their mother started 35 years ago, and are celebrating the 35th anniversary with cake and coffee, to customers and serving meals.

They gave away sports cups that read Nell’s Restaurant 35th Anniversary, and refills are only 75 cents not the regular $l.25.

Nell started out 35 years ago down the street, but she’s back in the restaurant every Sunday. She said, “I do all their baking of cakes, cobblers, pies, banana splits, puddings, cheese cakes. I do 10 different desserts every Sunday, and three are sugar free desserts and that’s special because we have so many customers who are diabetic. She was reminiscing over the past 35 years. “I think about how many people who worked here who have passed on. Like, my son Ronnie, who was always the life of the party. Everyone who ever worked here becomes a part of the family. We might fuss, we kiss, make up and go on. All the cooks who started with me 35 years ago are gone. Martha Aderholt, Vera Strickland, Grace Carver, Bessie Bernie, and the first waitress I ever had was Sally Frierson, and she’s gone now too. I really miss Ronnie.

Things are different now, and I just come when the girls holler. Martha Gabey is the longest time employee. She’s been with us since she was 15, took a little break and got married, and had a baby and now she’s back for 25 years.”

Nell remembers one incident that sticks out in her mind over the past 35 years. “We had a man who was washing dishes, his girlfriend was cooking on the grill. He proposed to her in the kitchen and she said yes. That was James and Debbie Moseley.”

Ronnie Norris has been coming to Nell’s for about 10 years. He lives in Lake City, and drives here “For best cooking in town.” Lauren Driggers has been coming to Nell’s to eat all her life. She said “I live just across the street and the food is really good.”

Three generations of Cora Radford’s family have been employed at Nell’s. Cora worked for Nell for 26 1/2 years. Joyce Dolan was told before she and her husband Jack moved from Tampa that when they got to Branford they needed to stop and eat at Nell’s. “My daughter said,

You’ve got to go to Nell’s. My daughter lives in Tampa.”

Karen Koon is a cook at Nell’s her mother Martha Aderholt was a cook, and her daughter Whitney Koon, is a waitress for Nell’s.

Jerry Connell, is building a log home near United Oaks Cemetery, and plans to move to Branford. He lives in Tampa and is retired from Tampa Electric. He loves to come to Nell’s to eat.

Lake City residents, Phyllis Marvel, Tasha Rose, and Wanda Herring were eating at Nell’s during the 35th Anniversary celebration. Wanda said, “We come here for the best food in Florida.” Phyllis said, “We’ve been coming here for 20 years.”

Champion Football players, Darrell Summers, and Donald Sparrow, who played football for BHS have been eating at Nell’s since she opened in l970.

Louis Racano, just moved from Brevard County into the Ranchettes, he was there too, he said, “I like the food it’s very good.”

Ron Jacobs a retired space shuttle inspector who retired last year was here for the 35th anniversary celebration. He said, “I’ve been eating here for a year and a half, the food is good, it’s very good”. He’s now in the land clearing business.

Nell’s daytime employees present for picture taking were: Ginny Dixon, Mary Welch, Deanna Kravec, Martha Gabey, Hope Loud, Nancy Yardy, Brandon Thomas, Jason Breverd, and Georgia Brown.