[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 545]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING MACK'S CAFE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 13, 2014

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
well-established rural town minority owned business, Mack's Cafe.
  Mack's Cafe opened for business August 2001 in Bolton, Mississippi. 
The owner, Mrs. Flora Bell Watson, has been known in the community as 
an extraordinary chef. Alongside her daughter, Anitra Watson, Ms. ``Flo 
Bell'' (as she is affectionately called) has nurtured her masterful 
skills of seasoning and marinating soul food meals for most of her 
life.
  Mrs. Watson spent most of her life in Bolton and was employed with 
SOS Truck Stop in Clinton, Mississippi for nearly 30 years. She served 
as cook and waitress while working alongside her daughter Anitra, who 
worked with the same company for 22 years.
  Once SOS Truck Stop went out of business, Mrs. Watson and her 
daughter took the opportunity to open her own restaurant in the town 
she grew up in. She acquired restaurant space for lease in the heart of 
town and after a few modifications, she opened for business. At the 
time of her opening, there was only one other restaurant in town.
  Throughout the years, Mrs. Watson has had to make small modifications 
to keep up with the change of time, but overall her restaurant has 
remained a constant staple within the community. Many people come from 
various locations daily to indulge in the soulfully cooked meals of 
Mack's Cafe. Her business is only open Monday through Friday for full 
spread lunch and short orders. Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays 
reduce business the most, and the closing of her town's Boys & Girls 
Club also noticeably decreased her clientele. She currently employs 
four other workers.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Flora 
Bell Watson and Anitra Watson for their steadfast dedication to serving 
the Bolton community through great, dependable, and compassionately 
prepared meals and service in Mack's Cafe.

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