I’ve never been to downtown Bessemer. A friend & i were in the area because we needed an army/Navy store for our son’s ‘swat team’ Halloween costumes. She told me she was taking us to the Bright Star restaurant because i’d never been before. The town is very small, very old & quite empty.
The restaurant was very, very cool. I had fried snapper, fried okra, Greek Salad & with cornbread & a coke. Best Southern meal i ever ate. The history is amazing & the inside was like a time warp. I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to step back into the Art Deco style & see it for real.
The address is the first photo. 🙂
ps broken iPhone photos…sorry about the quality. ~amy
2me4art 
Your timing is great…they just had an article on Yahoo last week about oldest restaurants in each state and Bright Star was on the list. Love the way you took that first shot….
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I need to visit there before I’m gone.
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jr cline?! You’re still here? You’ve been talking about going forever! I do hope that you go & have a yummy lunch @ the Bright Star before you do. ~amy
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I have purchased a motorhome and expect delivery the week of Thanksgiving. I’m staying with friends right now. Leaving is soon.
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The snapper almandine is my favorite. I also like looking at the old photos inside. 🙂
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You are from Alabama too? I wish i could have snapper almandine, but i have a butter allergy. it really limits the food i can eat outside my home. Which is why i had the fried snapper without the sauce. AND, i never saw the old pictures inside, oh, i wish i had. I’m going back, with my real camera & some hungry kids. Thank you, Jeff. ~amy
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My wife and i live in Pelham. I have a customer whi likes the Bright Star, so he and I eat there frequently. 🙂
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Have you ever been to Jasper? Great place and lots and lots of interesting stuff and food.
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Do you live in Alabama?! No, i’ve never been to Jasper. Since moving to Birmingham in 1993, i’ve really never left the city limits. I hope to do more traveling & i will put Jasper on my list. Thank you! ~amy
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No I live in Virginia. but I became well acquainted with Alabama and esp. Jasper area while in university, due to my roommate. Great, artistic southern town. I think the folk there have been filiming, off and on, a zombie movie for years, LOL. they have a great night time Christmas parade with all these fantastically lighted floats and of course, old timey meat and three restaurants. Google Jasper, AL images to get an idea of this place. Nice people.
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Reblogged this on The Standard Deviation .
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Great post…would like to pay a visit one day.
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Thank you! I hope you like fried okra, theirs was yummy! ~amy
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Love eating there.
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OH! You are an Alabamian?! That was my first time & i can’t wait to go back with my real camera & my kids. Bessemer is loaded with amazing & quite sad things to photograph. Dying towns are full of history. Going out of business seems to stop time. ~amy
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You need to check out the old railroad depot next time you’re in Bessemer. Great place if you like old trains and such. Let me know the next time you’re in town.
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Your presentations are always enjoyable, Amy, broken iphone or not!”-)
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Thank you so much, Janjoy! My phone, ugh! now all my photos are overexposed & I’m going to have it repaired, i didn’t realize how beneficial it was to have a camera in my pocket until…i don’t! ~amy
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