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Lannie’s Bar-B-Q, which is located on 2115 Minter Avenue, is officially back open for business.

The renowned family-owned barbecue restaurant has been within the Selma community for almost 80 years, after officially reopening its doors Monday.

The business held its first and official grand opening for members within the community to come out and celebrate just how far the business has come over the years and to commemorate the latest milestone within its restaurant journey of always wanting a new and improved building to keep the business going.

“We had already decided to have a new building a year before the Tornado came last year,” said Lula Hatcher, owner of Minter Avenue’s Lannie’s Bar-B-Q spot. “We were in the process of building — a new building back then, but we couldn’t find a contractor anywhere in Alabama to start the process. My son and everybody tried to get contractors within the state, but everybody was booked up for six months to a year or so. But, after the tornado came, contractors were reaching out from everywhere.”

Hatcher said she feels the delay behind their current building’s process back then was a testament of God’s grace because she said if she would’ve gone forward anyway with the process of bringing the building to fruition early, right before the Tornado came, she feels it probably would have been damaged badly and the building process would have to repeat for a second time.

“The Lord knows best,” Hatcher said. “He can see in the future, I can’t. “So, I thank him for what he’s doing, what He’s done and going to do because God knows everything and I just thank him, that He didn’t let us get it built last year.”

“We are grateful that when he got ready, he let us go on and built it.”

Hatcher said the overall process of the new building took about two years, involving the search, repairing the damage that accrued to the old building from the tornado to the demolition process of the old building to a year’s worth of the layout and construction process of the new building they currently have today sitting in the exact same place of the old building.

“I feel great and appreciative that we are officially open once again and this time with our new building,” Hatcher said.

During the event, members of the city, including the community came to honor the Hatcher family’s latest business accomplishment including Dallas County Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn.

“It’s a great day in the City of Selma for Lannie’s to be here for 80 years and for them to be celebrating their reopening after the tornado that came through here Jan. 12,” Nunn said. “It takes teamwork and they have come a long way. I remember Lannie’s from the old building and then to see where they have come from, it’s still a great day, although we still have remnants of the torn down houses, vacant lots and dilapidated houses and structures, this is still a shining light here in this community.”

Nunn said the family could’ve chosen not to rebuild, but since they did choose to rebuild, he said he is very grateful for Ms. Lula Hatcher, her team and her family regarding their decision and said he is also glad to see the establishment’s building reopened with a bigger and larger space than they ever had before.

“The building that they had here was probably a third of their current size,” Nunn said.

Manager Floyd Hatcher of the establishment said the new building can accommodate 150 people comfortably within the restaurant and said within the original, older building they could only accommodate a total of 28 people.”

“This building here is almost three times bigger than the old one,” Floyd said. “I’m just thankful that we are officially open.”

Lula also mentioned that the new building even comes with a banquet area that holds about 50 people and a bigger kitchen area so meals within the establishment can be prepared more efficiently and effectively for each customer who comes by.

“I’m just thankful and grateful to get this over with, “Lula said. “It’s been on my mind ever since we finished the building to have a grand opening because we were unable to for so long. So, I am glad this is over with and it’s a relief to my mind and I did want to say I am thankful for the people who came out and patronized us today.”

Lula said she just is proud to know and see the new building sit within the neighborhood that she grew up in as a child from the tender age of 12 years old to her current age of 91, going on 92 in a couple of weeks.

“I’m grateful just to be here, yes I am,” Lula said. “I didn’t think years ago that I would be here to see this moment right now. “I didn’t have any idea I would live this long but thanks be to God that I did, I made it.”

“I’m grateful just to be here and be able to get up and down, I’m truly blessed.”

Lannie’s Bar-B-Q, located on Minter Avenue is open from Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For any pickup orders or takeout, contact Lannie’s Bar-B-Q at 334-874-4478.