CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia restaurant that has been open for 75 years says it’s going to have to close its doors for several months after recent flooding.
The owner of Love’s Seafood & Steaks told WJCL-TV that the restaurant became partially submerged in 1.5 feet of dirty water when Hurricane Debby slammed the area and the local river flooded.
It could be another three to four months before it can reopen.
“I’ve been through numerous times of this river being up,” Obadiah Fulton Love Jr. said. “I never, never seen it nowhere near like this.”
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Love Jr. told WJCL that the flooding destroyed new hardwood floors and equipment. It also hurt their fresh fish, meat and produce supply. The estimated damage? $200,000, according to Love Jr.
“I’ve been here 75 years, (my wife)’s been here 40 years. This is home,” he said. “It’s home not only for me and her, it’s home for my son, and home for my grandson. This is home for the whole family.”
The family restaurant opened in 1949 off Highway 17 just 20 minutes south of downtown Savannah and sits along the Ogeechee River.
It was one of several locations in the Savannah area where “Forrest Gump,” the 1994 Academy Awards Best Picture winner, was filmed. The restaurant was used for Jenny’s performance at a truck stop.
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Love said people have asked if there is a GoFundMe donation page set up. He told WJCL that the family doesn’t want to set one up, but asks for people to help out in another way.
“I’d rather them wait, and when we open back up, they come by and buy a meal,” he said. “You know, I’m not against money. Don’t get me wrong. But, I’d rather feel like that they thought enough of us and the food we served to come back and buy a meal from us. I’d appreciate that.”
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