But…before we left Tupelo, we did have to
at least drive by a local tourist spot…and for many…a national shrine of major
importance!
It was a little early…too early for the
tour. This little 2 room shotgun style
home was where Elvis Aaron Presley was born. His parents were Vernon and Gladys Love
Presley. This critical occurrence in
both music and cultural history took place on January 8, 1935. Elvis had a twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley,
who was stillborn. Vernon was only 18
and Gladys was 22 at the time. Vernon
built the house, only to lose it after ‘altering’ a check during tough times in
1938. Gladys was the strong one in the household...
Elvis lived in Tupelo for the first 13
years of his life. A local hardware
store sold Elvis’s mother his first guitar when he was 10 years old. That store is also the place where he
strummed his first few cords. Did you know
that Elvis performed live on-air in Tupelo at the age of 12? It was on Mississippi Slim’s radio
show…station WELO.
That Hardware Store is still in
business…now being operated by the same family as an ACE Hardware. It’s in an old 3-story building in downtown
Tupelo. In addition to Elvis’s home,
there is an Elvis Driving Tour which takes you by several other local Elvis
related landmarks. The Tupelo Auto
Museum…with over 100 classic automobiles…has a 1976 Lincoln Mk IV on display
that belonged to Elvis. (After seeing
what I missed at the Auto Museum, I know that I’ll stop through Tupelo at
least one more time)
For what to see and do in Tupelo…with its
Elvis attractions…just go to http://www.tupelo.net/things/elvis_in_tupelo/default.aspx.
For the Tupelo Auto Museum, go to www.tupeloautomuseum.com. For the Elvis birthplace/home, you can go to www.elvispresleybirthplace.com
but when I checked it, the site was ‘under construction’. Their phone number is 662-841-1245.
We drove east for quite a while…bypassing
the fast food joints…searching for someplace local to grab a bit of breakfast. Eventually, in downtown Hamilton Alabama, we
came across Leonelli’s Coffee Buzz. It
didn’t say breakfast on the outside but we figured that coffee and baked goods
would suffice…
The interior was very coffee shop casual…with
snacks and bakery items on display, pots of coffee at the ready, and best of
all, a breakfast offering on the menu!
It turns out that the expanded name of this restaurant is "Leonelli’s Coffee
Buzz – Coffee House and Lunch Counter".
Here’s another interior shot of Leonelli’s. It shows the whimsical nature of the décor… As regards coffee, Laurie had a nice Espresso
Latte. ($2.00) Along with other drinks and coffees, Leonelli’s offered espresso
shots with your cup of house blend, a Café au Lait, Cappuccino, Hot Chocolate
and a Chai Tea Latte.
The breakfast menu focused on Breakfast
Sandwiches on an English Muffin, Wheat or White Toast. They ranged in price from $2.00 to
$3.00. This Good Morning ‘Platter’,
Laurie’s choice for breakfast, included 2 strips of bacon, 2 eggs and 2 slices
of toast. ($3.00)
The lunch menu included a soup of the day;
4 different salads ranging from $3.50 to $5.50 with the addition of smoked
chicken; and 8 different sandwiches. A
grilled cheese sandwich with a tomato slice was $2.25 and a grilled pimento
cheese sandwich cost $2.50. At the ‘high
end’ of the price range, there was the Club Sandwich and the Philly Cheese
Steak, either one for $3.50. Homemade desserts
are served daily…but it was breakfast and we still had a lot of driving to do.
My breakfast was just like Laurie’s…except
that I had a sausage patty instead of the bacon strips. It was $3.00.
Beyond the ‘platters’, one could also order bacon or sausage with 2
pancakes for $3.50 or an Omelette with 3 ingredients for $3.75. Breakfast sides ranged from $.50 for grits to
$2.00 for a Cinnamon Roll.
This is a very casual little place… The
pricing is definitely a positive! Even the price of a cup of coffee was reasonable...$1.16 for a large cup. While
it wasn’t the biggest breakfast we’ve ever had, it was perfect for me on a day
when I had to do a lot of driving. (I have been known to doze off while driving…especially
after a big meal)
Leonelli’s Coffee Buzz is only open from
7 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday. Two
local ladies own and operate this business.
It’s located on the west side of the Courthouse Square in Hamilton
Alabama. Phone: 205-495-3500.
Just click on any photo to enlarge it…
Thanks for stopping by and sharing
another portion of our Tennessee - Arkansas road trip!
Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Now THAT'S a nice and economical breakfast! YUM!!
ReplyDeleteWhat nice breakfast I love it!
ReplyDelete