Childhood at Hazel's Nook: Family Memories and Lessons

Everything I ever needed to know I learned at Hazel’s Nook. I learned that the customer is always right. Take care of your customers and your employees and they will take care of you! 

I learned how to make change at a cash register at the age of 8. (I learned how to break an adding machine at 7, but that’s a different story.)

I learned that welcoming guests as they come through the front door and saying “thank you, come back to see us” as they leave is the most important job of all. I learned the best place to take a nap was in booth 4. The best pick-me-up snack was a frozen peppermint patty and the best place for a cool down was on a box of lettuce in the walk-in refrigerator.

I learned how to peel and butterfly shrimp and roll silverware till your hands cramped. I learned how to run the dishwasher when the dishwasher didn’t make it in to work that morning. I learned that if you happen to accidentally spill tea on a customer, your dad won’t kill you, but he will buy her a new cashmere sweater. I also saw my dad buy an employee a car when they were having car trouble.

I learned that if you run out of potatoes or bacon, you jump in your El Camino and run to Winn-Dixie. I learned to save the best parking spots for “paying customers.”  I learned “if you don’t have nothing to do, don’t do it in the door!”

I learned that it’s important to support local ball teams, charities and church fundraisers. I learned after hurricanes to be the first ones back on the island so you can serve a hot meal to all the city employees, policemen, firemen, first responders and Power Company! I learned true work ethic at its finest by watching my dad work 24/7/365 because he knew so many people counted on him.

I still see my grandfather “Doc” perched on the green stool in the corner behind the bar and my grandmother “Muz” sitting at table one, both just beaming with pride. I see the framed picture of Hazel Scruggs hanging above the window. I see the signed Blue Angels picture framed and hanging on the wall next to the framed family Chatom store.

My best friends growing up at The Nook were Mattie, Virginia, Louise, Larry, Clarence, Diane, Alicia, Tammy, Sandy, Lisa, Missy and Kristy. They would fix my hair and get me into and out of a lot of trouble. They served as referees when my little brother Richard and I would get into “arguments.” We would run circles around the Nook and sometimes end up on the roof throwing rocks at each other.

On my 16th birthday when I ran over my little brother Jimmy’s bike they came to my rescue. Mattie Bullard always had my back, even when I was wrong, discipline had to go through her first. She wasn’t easy to go through! She always made me the biggest dumpling and her chicken and dumplings were the very best ever!

When my baby brother David was being born and my parents were busy birthing him, I got to accept on their behalf the honor of The State’s Official Biscuit Proclamation from Gov. Fob James. Those biscuits would feed my friends and me before school and those same biscuits served me well to get out of speeding tickets, but now I’m just telling on myself. 

Hazel’s Nook was the best place to start your day, close a deal, sell a cell phone or shoot the breeze. Hazel’s Nook served comfort food like no one else and as an adult, I found her calling my name a time or two. 

Hazel’s Nook raised me. Heck, she raised all of us!  She was the springboard for all that my dad has accomplished over his career in the restaurant business and boy that says a lot! She’s been really good to our family, and we are immeasurably grateful! Our entire family extends our warmest gratitude to all our loyal customers and amazing employees during the last 45 years! This chapter in the history of Gulf Shores is closing but we know that the new owners will be hugely successful and herald in the future generations of guests with open arms and serve our community well!  We wish them the very best!