The finish line is in sight for opening of The Downtowner. Here’s what to know
Restaurateur Robert St. John says his highly anticipated café in the former Triplett-Day Drug Co. building is “just days away” from welcoming its first customers. The Downtowner will bring breakfast, blue plate lunches and Southern fare to downtown Gulfport.
FULL STORY: One of the Coast’s most anticipated restaurants is ‘just days away’ from opening
Here are key takeaways:
- The Downtowner sits at the corner of 14th Street and U.S. 49, in the building that housed the Triplett-Day pharmacy and lunch counter for 65 years before closing March 31, 2020.
- St. John, owner of New South Restaurant Group, announced the project in October 2024 and says training is underway. The restaurant will open once staff is ready, with many crew members being restaurant veterans.
- The menu features breakfast options like omelettes, praline bacon and Cathead biscuits, plus mimosas. Lunch includes St. John’s signature fried chicken and blue plate specials with sides like fried okra, turnip greens and cheese grits.
- Pastries will come from St. John’s Loblolly Bakery in Hattiesburg. The walls feature old Gulfport photos and memorabilia, and customers can choose from tables, booths, counter stools or a private dining room.
- St. John operates seven restaurants and a bakery in Mississippi and has written more than a dozen books. He calls The Downtowner the “most Gulfport restaurant ever in Gulfport.”
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
Mary Perez
Sun Herald