The History of The Chat and Chew Restaurant
The Chat and Chew Restaurant was built in 1962 at the southeast corner of South Pine Street and County Road 512. Despite the fact that the restaurant fronts County Road 512, its address is 1 South Pine Street. It is a one story, 1,112 square foot concrete block and brick building. However, wooden siding has been installed which completely covers the masonry walls.
The Chat and Chew Restaurant was owned and operated by the Herndon family. Ivy Herndon the mother, was the chief cook but her four girls, Georgetta, Lillian, Lisa, and Ruth Ann, all helped her in the restaurant. They were waitresses, cashiers, assistant cooks, and custodians. Ivy cooked the meals at her two bedroom house at 7 S. Pine Street (which was located to the south right behind the restaurant) because the kitchen in the restaurant was small. However, it did have a grill and steam tables.1
Besides a variety of home cooked meals, Ivy offered chili, hamburgers, beef stew, and mashed potatoes as standard fare. She always had a daily special with two vegetables as sides. In addition to the meals, there were fountain drinks, milk shakes, sweet ice tea, ice cream sundaes, and coffee. Prices of meals varied between $1.30 and $2.95. Ivy could never obtain a beer and wine license because of the restaurant’s close proximity to the Fellsmere Community Bible Church at the northwest corner of North Hickory Street and County Road 512.2
Initially, the Chat and Chew Restaurant was opened from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., six days a week and closed on Sundays. After several years, Ivy cut back the hours from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Sundays the family cleaned the entire restaurant and mopped and waxed the floors to get ready for another week of serving the public on Mondays.
To safeguard the money that was collected from patrons, Ivy kept it hidden in the freezer. Word soon spread that the money was kept in the freezer because of the “cold, hard cash” that was handed to customers for change.3
It was not only a place to eat but one of the principal places in Fellsmere for friendly conversation and socialization. For years it was the only restaurant in Fellsmere that served the public during the week. It had several tables and chairs and seats at the counter. The only other restaurant was the Fellsmere Inn but it only opened its dining room to the public on weekends.4 Ivy ceased cooking at the restaurant in 1979 but leased it to Ledford Palmer to operate the restaurant. After a year, Ivy didn’t like the way the restaurant was being operated, so she didn’t renew the lease and the Chat and Chew closed down for good.5 Ivy Herndon died on January 10, 1994.6 One daughter, Ruth Ann, never married and lived with Ivy. She inherited the house and sold it after Ivy died.7
The Chat and Restaurant was replaced by the Donut Hut in March 1986. Folks said that the food was good but the concrete block building was hardly a tourist attraction. Cheryl Ortiz who worked there said she liked Fellsmere because “I hate the hustle and bustle of a big city.”8
The restaurant is now an office building for Tee Off, a hiring agency for temporary golf course workers. It has been in that location since 1999 according to Ana Maracara, who is the present branch manager in 2024.9