Over the years, Sandra's Place gradually morphed into the popular lunch spot it is today. "I tried different things, and being open for lunch has worked out best. I'm only open in the evening now if there's something special going on downtown, like for Mardi Gras or New Year's Eve."

 Being part of the community has meant a lot to her over the years, she said. "We didn't know anyone when we moved here, and I never would have met so many wonderful people if I hadn't had my own business and been part of the business community through the Eastern Shore Chamber. It's been a good experience."

Today, Sandra's daughter, Lisa Bates, handles the daily business of running the restaurant; Sandra keeps her eye on things from home, where she does the bookkeeping and other paperwork. Many of the employees (all part time and all retired from other jobs) have been with her for a long time. "Mary DeLaunay came to work for me the second week I was open in 1996. Other employees include Marianna Lancaster, Mary Ellen Goodrode, Angel Nolte, Kerry Williams, Marjorie Robinson, and Mary Chmielawski. We have so many Marys, that they all have nicknames! Also, my sister-in-law, Francine Brown, just retired, but she still helps out with special cakes for the holidays."

Sandra points out that she has an international staff as well. "Francine is from France, Kerry is from Ireland, and Mary Ellen is from Germany. Isn't that interesting for a small town in Alabama?"

 Sandra's numerous grandchildren all worked in the shop over the years as well. "They worked here when they were in high school and later when they could. It helped put many of them through college. I never would have expected that when I opened as a little coffee shop in 1996. I'm proud that Sandra's Place is a part of downtown Fairhope-going on 20 years now!

By D. Fran Morley

Please join us for an evening of networking food, drinks, and fun on 

Thursday, February 5, 2015 from 5pm -7 pm at

Stone, Granade & Crosby, P.C.

8820 U.S. Highway 90
Daphne, AL 36526

$100 Cash Drawing

Guest Speaker- Robbie Owen,

Baldwin County School System Superintendent 

 February 11, 2015 8:30 am

Daphne United Methodist Church Community Life Center

2401 N. Main St., Daphne, AL

 $10 Members / $15 potential members

Please call for reservations 621-8222, all reservations must be pre-paid prior to Monday February 9.

Great Marketing Opportunity for Chamber Members

Bring lots of handouts!

6882 Highway 90, Suite G-2
Daphne, AL 36526

Iron Tribe Fitness Eastern Shore

Contribute to the success of the 63rd Annual Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival with your commitment to support the artists at the annual festival. Each year we are able to attract the highest quality artists and crafters with your support. The "Patron's Award Program" insures the commitment of our local community prior to the Festival. This is one of the features that helps keep our festival ranked as one of the top arts and crafts festivals in the country.

How can you help? 

First sign up and let us know that you plan to purchase $100 of art work from an artist at the 63rd Annual Arts and Crafts Festival.  Return form to the chamber office.

• Next stop by the Chamber office in Fairhope starting Thursday through Saturday of the festival and pick up your Patron's award ribbon, placard and a signed poster for you.  Now go shopping!  Once you have selected your merchandise from an exhibitor, buy it and present your award placard! The exhibitor will display your patron's award ribbon and placard on their booth for the remainder of the Festival.  (You can leave your purchased artwork on display at the artist booth for remainder of the festival to help the artist advertise the award.) 

• BONUS...your name and/or business name will be listed in the official festival program as a patron sponsor (we will need to receive this form back by February 20th).  Approximately 200,000+ spectators will have the opportunity to see your name and/or business name at the exhibitor's booth and on our festival program.   

For more details please call Laura English at 391-2470 or Liz Roberts at 621-8222.   

On the Lighter Side

Searching for the

"Best Burger on the Eastern Shore"

As have many, I have pledged to lose weight as my New Year's resolution. To this point, my efforts to change my lifestyle have seen some progress, but it is a marathon, not a sprint. While my dietary efforts are proceeding fairly well, my exercise program has encountered some setbacks do to some things unforeseen. We hope to start that aspect fairly soon.

The Eastern Shore is gifted to have a plethora of amazing restaurants and chefs in every style of cuisine imaginable. An Arts & Crafts Festival visitor once told me that the reason he comes to the festival each year is to get the chance to eat in our amazing area restaurants. There is no doubt that our restaurants are great assets to Eastern Shore culture and tourism.

So for me to progress through this marathon, I have built into my dietary efforts a splurge night once a month. Everyone has a different vision of a splurge night. Obviously therefore, there are no incorrect answers. To complicate matters further, there is nothing you can't find along the Eastern Shore. For this writer though, when I think of satisfying a food craving, the first item that comes to mind is a Great Hamburger!! It is Americana at its best. Over my twenty-plus years on the Eastern Shore, Manci's in Old Town Daphne was THE place when I had that burger craving. Since their closing, I am at a loss for a place to find THAT amazing hamburger.

So I am now in search for a new location for a perfect hamburger and will spend the next several months in search of the "Best Burger on the Eastern Shore"!! We have solicited several Chamber restaurants to join our fun-spirited competition, and I will be visiting one competitor each month. We will profile the restaurant, have the owner/chef give his or her idea of a perfect burger, and hopefully entice some our members to visit the wonderful establishment.

Every third Wednesday, I will be dining at our one competing establishments, and I invite the membership to join in the event. For our members, I hope to develop an Owners/CEO roundtable over a delicious burger that will also serve as a casual opportunity to discuss what's going on with our member businesses and how the Chamber can best support business efforts.

Our first stop will be a new restaurant operated by a celebrity chef that has been gracing our area for a while now - Pete Blohme. Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek Marina will kick off our "Best Burger on the Eastern Shore" competition on Wednesday, February 18th at 5pm. I invite all of our membership to come out and join us for the evening!!

The Burger Boy

Former Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, Darrelyn Bender, was presented with the prestigious Jamie Wallace Award during the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (CCAA) held in Birmingham on December 5, 2014. The award is presented to Chamber professionals who have displayed outstanding attributes in their daily vocation.  

It is awarded by an outside panel of judges only in years in which an individual meets strict, stated criteria, and who is chosen from nominees submitted by CCAA members. It is the highest award presented by CCAA. 

The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Baldwin County Board of Education is celebrating Alabama Career and Technical Education month. This month long celebration will emphasize the role of career and technical education while becoming college and career ready. 

Through the Eastern Shore Chamber Foundation, we address the need of quality career and leadership programming for Eastern Shore High School students through our Youth Leadership and Student Training and Exploration Program. Our goal is to bridge education with businesses along the Eastern Shore through leadership and career pathway exploration.

The 2014-15 Student Training and Exploration Program (STEP) kicked off this January with each grade level focusing on a different aspect of the program; team building and life skill assessment, soft skills workshop, cash course and a visit to ITT Technical Institute.

The STEP program is a four year program beginning with students in 9th grade and continuing through the 12th grade. Students in the program explore the high demand career opportunities in Southwest Alabama while connecting class skills with skills needed in the workplace.

For more information about supporting the program by volunteering or through sponsorships please contact Christina Hellmich at 251-928-6387.