Southern Eats, a popular meals-to-go shop nestled in a historical building on the southeast side of downtown Cullman, specializes in homemade meals, sides and desserts year-round. It also has special offerings for Thanksgiving.
“We are your one-stop shop for Thanksgiving,” said Owner Laci Schuman. “We offer all the delicious homemade side dish casseroles. If you’ve eaten it at a traditional Thanksgiving meal, more than likely it is on our Thanksgiving menu. We will have Johnny’s smoked turkey (whole and boneless breasts). Hams are also available for pre-order. And of course, our specialty Strawberry Pretzel Salad is the real star for the holidays!”
Schuman stays pretty busy throughout the year, but it really picks up in the fall.
“Back to school is when we start feeling ‘busy.’ Football season ticks up another level, and by October we are staring down the busiest two months of the year. The holidays are great for Southern Eats and Southern Eats is GREAT for the holidays! We get very busy with everyday pickups, but the catering ramps up with office parties, friend/family get-togethers, easy hostess gifts, etc.”
One thing that keeps people coming back is the quality of the food.
“We use quality ingredients in everything. Over the last couple of years, grocery costs have skyrocketed, but I refuse to save a little money by using a lesser quality product,” Schuman explained. “Obviously this has forced our pricing to go up, but our customers appreciate the quality and consistency.”
Schuman and a friend started the business eight years ago.
“We saw the need for better options busy families. That Easter we rolled out a menu, took pre-orders and met for delivery in the church parking lot. Each week we filled orders and met for delivery, watching our customer base grow from friends to a list of customers who counted on us to feed their families,” she said. “In March 2015, we opened the storefront. In 2017, I bought out my partner and have steadily grown.”
Schuman envisions expanding, saying, “I’m constantly listening to customers who travel to Cullman to make a pickup. There are several cities where I see Southern Eats being a great fit!”
What is Schuman thankful for this Thanksgiving?
“I have so much to be thankful for! I have a wonderful family who is supportive and involved. Justin and I have two beautiful daughters. Bailey, 19, a 2022 CHS graduate, is enrolled at The Salon Professional Academy and ready to begin her career in cosmetology. Logan, 15, is a CHS freshman living her best life as a student, cheerleader and dancer. Of all my blessings, these two bring me the most pride, and I cannot describe how thankful I am for them.”
She continued, “I have the best, most loyal staff I am so lucky to work, laugh, scramble around, oh, and cook with! They are the backbone of Southern Eats. Without them I would miss so many moments with my girls. There aren’t words to describe how grateful I am for them. Some things we took for granted pre-pandemic- events, games, gatherings. I am thankful for fun and normal day-to-day life. I am blessed beyond deserving and so thankful!”
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