by Deena Cheek • photos by Paul
Leavy
May 15, 2009 12:40 pm
— What started
as a business flight to Mississippi has become Valdosta’s newest innovative
restaurant.
When Dr. James Sinnott and Dr. Ed Fricker decided to check out a
potential investment called Catfish One restaurant, they didn’t take long to
agree that it would soon find a corner in Valdosta.
Catfish One is a
restaurant that seeks to combine the best of both worlds — fast food quickness
with fine dining flair — into one “good and simple” meal for customers. The
restaurant has a simple philosophy that General Manager Bruce Ponder embraces
every day.
“We operate by the KISS method,” he says. “Keep It Simple,
Stupid!”
Ponder’s laid-back management style instantly hooked the interest of
owners Sinnott and Fricker, who welcomed him aboard with what he calls a
“refreshing” business relationship. A 61-year-old Greenville, S.C., native who
swears off retirement, Ponder says they all shared the same vision and goals for
Catfish One.
“We hit it off from the start,” Ponder says. “They told me to
run it like it was my own. I’ve always wanted to run my own restaurant, and this
was the chance.”
Ponder says that while it was a risk for Sinnott and Fricker
to invest in a new restaurant during a struggling economy, they weren’t
intimidated. And even though Catfish One restaurant is just getting its feet wet
in Valdosta, there are big plans for the future. Together with Ponder, they hope
to extend the Catfish One reach from Tifton to the Florida state line.
“Over
the next five years, they hope to open up five or six more locations,” Ponder
says. “Valdosta could easily support two or three locations on its own.”
And
Valdosta certainly has a taste for Catfish One so far. Despite pouring rain,
tornado watches and flooding around Valdosta, people continue to find their way
through its doors.
“For some reason, this place fills up during bad
weather,” he says. “You know how people in Florida have hurricane parties? It’s
like we have storm parties in here.”
People can’t seem to get enough of the
fried catfish, shrimp and oysters — which happen to be the most ordered items on
the menu. Hushpuppies, fried dill pickles and baked potato salad are among the
most common side items customers crave. One of the most unique parts of dining
in Catfish One is the sound boxes on the tables. Each box has a dial and buttons
for each of the four TVs in the dining room.
“Most people don’t even know
what this is because it’s such a new concept,” Ponder says. “You can choose
which TV you want to hear and adjust the volume. No other restaurants in town
have these.”
Ponder says this is excellent for families for when kids come in
and want to watch cartoons while parents talk. But perhaps the most interesting
of all concepts Catfish One brings to the table is what employees have decided
to do with their tips.
“When we get tips, we put them all together and look
for a needy family or local charity to donate them to,” Ponder says. “It’s our
way of showing the community that we care and want to give back.”
Catfish
One Fast Facts
• Catfish One is located at 3960 Macey Drive in Valdosta. It
can be reached by calling (229) 242-4200.
• Catfish One is open from 11 a.m.
to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and from 11
a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays. It is closed on Sundays.
• Catfish One offers
military personnel and law enforcement officers a 10 percent discount every
day.
• Wednesday night is Senior Citizen Night at Catfish One.
• Catfish
One hopes to add grilled items to the menu, catering services, and specials in
the near future.
On the Menu
• U.S. Farm Raised Catfish, Jumbo Fried
Shrimp, Popcorn Shrimp, Cajun Boiled Shrimp, Fresh Gulf Oysters, and Chicken
Tenders meals.
• SuperStuffed Wraps with Popcorn Shrimp and Fried or Grilled
Chicken.
• Salads with Popcorn Shrimp and Grilled or Fried Chicken.
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