Brundidge Rotarian Olaf Lieb introduced his business partner, Chuck Caraway, as his program guest at the Wednesday meeting of the Brundidge Rotary Club.

Lieb and Caraway are partners, along with their wives, Tina Lieb and Myrlene Caraway, in a restaurant venture that will offer an upscale dining experience in downtown Brundidge and also include an event center that will have banquet-style seating for between 250 and 280.

The restaurant, Collier’s on Main, was named as a tribute to G.C. Collier who was the founder of Brundidge.

In the early 1850s, Collier was unable to purchase a lot at Clay Hill because most of the land was owned by A.C. Bass, who would not sell a lot to anyone who planned to open a business where whiskey was sold.

So, Collier purchased land about two miles south of Clay Hill and opened a grocery business that included a saloon. A community grew around the store and was named Collier’s Store.

Later, the name was changed to Brundidge in honor of James McGinnis Brundidge, who visited Collier’s Store community as a representative of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Alabama.

Caraway said Collier’s on Main will have a meat-and-three type menu, sandwiches, soups and salads and a quick-pickup lunch during the lunch hours Monday through Saturday and dinner menu that will include steaks and Gulf-fresh seafood Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The restaurant will have seating for between 80 and 90 in its dinning area and a separate dining area for meetings or group dining with seating for around 30.

The restaurant will feature a back deck for those who enjoy dining outdoors. The expanse of the deck will extend from the restaurant to the event center thus providing outdoor dining for both venues.

“Collier’s on Main will offer catering services for the event center and private catering will be permitted,” Caraway said.

Plans are to open Collier’s on Main around Labor Day.

Adjoining the restaurant will be three retail shops and one of those will feature specialty soaps.

Rotarian Jimmy Ramage, who also serves Brundidge as its mayor, said he is looking forward to the opening of Collier’s on Main.

“I anticipate that Collier’s on Main will draw people from all around the area much like The Old Barn at Goshen does and Suttons’ in Ariton did,” Ramage said. “Collier’s on Main will offer a different kind of dining experience and, hopefully, it will be the encouragement others need to invest in our downtown area.”

Ramage said Collier’s on Main will offer leisurely dining to those who enjoy that type of experience.

“And, with the opening of Collier’s on Main, Brundidge will offer a variety of dining opportunities,” he said. “That will be good for our residents and for visitors to our town.”