Duluth Business Spotlight: Duluth Rexall Grill

The slogan on the back of the T-shirts at Duluth Rexall Grill says it all: "What happens at the grill stays at the grill."

And plenty happens at the Duluth Rexall Grill -- and some of it is actually about food.

The iconic eatery with the soda fountain touch on Buford Highway soon will celebrate its 45th anniversary. There are some war stories, but it still manages to be open seven days a week, and to have enough appeal to serve as a popular gathering place.

"A lot of business transpires" at the grill, noted Brooks Coleman, the Georgia House representative who lives in Duluth. Coleman holds town hall meetings at the grill on Saturday mornings, and is fond of the No. 1 breakfast (eggs, grits).

Current owner Lynda Alley bought the grill in 1998. A pharmacist by trade, she also owns the adjoining Rexall pharmacy.

Although regular customers are not hard to come by, Alley notes that running the restaurant is hard work.

"(Food) costs have gone up, but because of the economy, we can't increase the price," she said. But she has no thoughts of selling.

Instead, there's the down-home touch. Menu items include pot roast and "taters." And now, there's an all you can eat special on Friday nights for catfish and chicken.

The grill opens for breakfast at 5:30 a.m. That means some workers arrive well before that to begin preparing biscuits from scratch, as well as other menu items.

Loyalty doesn't end with the customers. Alley noted that her manager, Danny Ray Sexton, has worked at the grill for 15 years, and that many of the employees also are long-timers.

-- What are your memories of the Duluth Rexall Grill? What are your favorite menu items? Tell us in the comments below.

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