Elegy for a Pelham Waffle House

Well, sometimes they close a favorite gin mill and sometimes it's a favorite Waffle House. Normally, chain store closures don't bother me too much even if it's one we've frequented. In these days of late capitalism, it's a feature of the retail landscape decimated by Internet commerce. But a Waffle House??

This one was located on Oak Mountain Park Road just as you head toward the state park's main entrance. We've driven past it a million times--maybe more--since we moved to our current home in 1995. 

We've also eaten there many times--Dianne and I, with and without one or more of the kids. Waffle House is a tradition in our family; brother Richard and I usually stop at one on our summer trips around the state. We all seem to like their breakfast food any time of the day. I think I've only ordered a non-breakfast meal at a Waffle House once, many years ago. I don't know what my excuse was. A few years ago I gave my kids Waffle House coffee mugs for Christmas, for Pete's sake. 

Anyway, I digress. I'm not sure why this particular Waffle House would close. The location near an Interstate exit, a large, busy state park and both a concert venue and Pelham's Civic Complex would seem to have insured continued success. Oh, well, at least there's another Waffle House in Pelham...

To add insult to injury, the company's web site lists this location as still open. 

UPDATE: On 8 Sept 2021 the Shelby County Reporter published an article on the business replacing the Waffle House.

UPDATE: The new business replacing the Waffle House will open soon; see the photos at the end which I took on 22 October 2021.