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Small town, big taste

Saturday fish fry attracts crowds to Greenwood



SWEET SPOT — The Greenwood Grocery brings in a crowd on Saturday nights for its fish fry. Many of the patrons complete their meal with the a piece of pie. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

SWEET SPOT — The Greenwood Grocery brings in a crowd on Saturday nights for its fish fry. Many of the patrons complete their meal with the a piece of pie. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

It’s just 10 minutes after 5 and manager Savannah Donahue directs the newest guest to the last open seats in the quaint quarters of the Greenwood Grocery, as Mike Rhine in the back of the room croons the chorus of Glen Campbell’s “Gentle on My Mind.”

As the music reverberates through the room over light conversation, behind a swinging door in a sweltering back room, Tyler Pruett watches over the night’s main attraction, catfish fillets frying to a golden brown.

“I can get into a rhythm. But sometimes, I can’t help it, there’s so much demand, and it can get hectic,” Pruett explains. “I just drop the fish and make sure we’re ready for the next batch.”

Nearly every Saturday night from 5 to 8, with few exceptions, the Greenwood Grocery packs in crowds for its weekly fish fry. The small-town staple brings in locals and visitors from afar for a tasty meal, music and the hometown feel.

“It is a unique event,” said Junior Oates, who was one of the early guests this Saturday with his wife Kay.

MAIN ATTRACTION — Tyler Pruett fries up fish in the back room of the Greenwood Grocery for the Saturday night fish fry. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

MAIN ATTRACTION — Tyler Pruett fries up fish in the back room of the Greenwood Grocery for the Saturday night fish fry. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

“We come once per month. It’s atmosphere.”

The few dozen seats turn over several times through the three hours, while others drift in for to-go orders. Many can’t refuse a slice of pie or helping of cobbler to top off their orders.

“We’ll have close to 100 people on average,” explains Donahue, as the last couple of the store’s famous burgers are grilled for the late lunch crowd before the preparation starts for the fish fry.

“We have a quite a few regulars, but there’s also a lot of new people.”

Donahue, a Decatur High School grad, said she recently finished her bachelor’s in education.

“But I have no desire to teach right now because I don’t want to leave here,” she claims.

“It’s the people. We have a group of the guys that come in every morning, drink from. coffee and gossip. They are worse than the ladies at the beauty shop.” “

Sitting at the table at the back of the room, Justin Hammond peers down under his Columbia fishing hat, as his knife trims a fish fillet. As he finishes one, he reaches into the bucket, grabbing another.

FULL PLATE — Savannah Donahue serves two full plates of catfish Saturday at Greenwood Grocery. The store holds its fish fry every Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

FULL PLATE — Savannah Donahue serves two full plates of catfish Saturday at Greenwood Grocery. The store holds its fish fry every Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

“I’ll go through another two boxes,” he said, planning to prepare six boxes, with a larger crowd expected tonight due to the pleasant respite from the blistering summer heat.

Hammond, the store’s owner since 2018, gives a few details about the fish recipe that has garnered the Wise County Messenger’s Readers Choice for Best Catfish the past two years.

“There was an old recipe from the lady we bought the store from. We took her recipe and put a twist on it,” Hammond said. “People say they like it.”

The rest of the help drifts in, including the newest member of the Saturday night staff, Sam Ricketts.

“I started a couple of weeks ago. It’s fun,” she said, proclaiming she’s got the routine down.

SLICE OF TRADITION — Greenwood Grocery owner Justin Hammond cuts fillets of catfish before Saturday’s fish fry. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

SLICE OF TRADITION — Greenwood Grocery owner Justin Hammond cuts fillets of catfish before Saturday’s fish fry. RICHARD GREENE/WCMESSENGER

Donahue works her way into the back where Pruett is just getting the fryer going, while also laying out the batter.

“I’ve been doing it two years. It’s definitely a process getting everything going,” Pruett said.

Though the temperature is only around 90 this afternoon, under partly cloudy skies, it doesn’t take long for the back room, with the door open and the fryer in the rear entryway, to heat up.

“In the summer, sometimes you come back here and it’s so hot. I’ll take as many breaks as I can,” Pruett said. “But I’ll take the summer over the winter.”

He explains in the winter, the lone source of heat in the area is coming from the fryer. Even thick overalls barely are enough to stay warm.

Heat of summer or chill of winter doesn’t take away from the tradition of this weekly gathering that has been part of Pruett’s life for as long as he can remember.

“This means a lot to me. When I was younger, we’d come out here with my family. We didn’t care how long the wait was,” Pruett said. “We’d enjoy our time together and the food. It’s important to help people come together.”

Those get-togethers have included many celebrations, such as when the Slidell Greyhounds won the Class A basketball title in 2019.

For the life-long Slidell-area resident who is going to school to become a medic, getting the honor to man the fryer and be a part of the tradition is not something he takes for granted.

“It’s cool to think I’m the one making it. But it’s truly the whole store that puts it all together,” Pruett said.

Around 4:30 p.m. there’s already a few tables sitting down to order as Julie Teague prepares bowls of beans. Teague explains she works Saturday nights to get out of the house.

“It’s a fun job. I do it so I can socialize,” Teague said.

Steve Barron and his family have driven in from Fort Worth and occupy the front table.

“We come every other month for the food and the atmosphere. It’s worth the drive,” Barron said.

Coming through the front door is Rhine, carrying his guitar case and equipment. He starts to plug in at the back of the room.

“It’s great. I love the atmosphere. It’s like stepping back in time,” Rhine explained about the Greenwood building. “With the music I play, it fits this environment.”

As Rhine hits his first notes, Donahue walks out to a table and goes over the night’s offerings, with catfish platters served with 2 pieces, 3, 4, 6 or all-you can eat. It’s accompanied by beans, fries, cole slaw, hush puppies, and green tomato relish. Or you can go with chicken-fried chicken or chicken-fried steak.

By 5, there’s only one table left in the initial rush and Donahue dances between tables to take orders and check in on customers. In less than 10 minutes, the last chairs are occupied and a group is waiting at the door. Saturday night is just getting started in Greenwood, as Rhine drifts fittingly into Merle Haggard’s “Workin Man’s Blues.”

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