Celebrity chef Paula Deen closes Savannah restaurants

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Celebrity chef Paula Deen and her two sons, Jamie and Bobby, have announced the closure of two of their Savannah restaurants, The Lady & Sons on West Congress Street and The Chicken Box on West Saint Julian Street in Savannah’s historic district.

Thursday, July 31st was the last day the restaurants served customers, according to an announcement made on The Lady & Son’s Facebook page Friday.

Deen and her sons say they have “endless love and gratitude for every customer who has walked through our doors,” adding Savannah will “always be our home.”

The closures end nearly four decades of service to the Savannah community, where Deen resides with her husband.

The family will now focus on their Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen locations in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Missouri, according to the social media post.

The Lady & Sons officially opened its doors in January 1996. The restaurant moved to its current location on 102 West Congress Street in November 2003.

Deen, who’s known for her world famous Southern cooking, started her restaurant business in 1989 with The Bag Lady, a delivery service offering home cooked bag lunches to area businesses.

Eventually, she and her two sons began a catering service that expanded into a full service restaurant.