Harriet Crommelin was new to the restaurant business when she opened Kat & Harri's Nice Place in 1982, launching a decades-long career as a neighborhood restaurateur across two states.

Crommelin died Feb. 8 at her home in Seagrove Beach, Florida. She was 76.

The Sidney Lanier High School graduate built Kat & Harri's at 1061 Woodley Road into a neighborhood gathering spot. She opened The Bistro a few years later before moving to Florida continue her career.

In Seagrove Beach, Florida, her new Cafe Thirty-A became one of the cornerstones of a popular local dining scene. The fine dining spot remains a hot-ticket location 27 years later, with reservations required.

"Harriet was a true trailblazer, a visionary," Crommelin's family shared in an obituary. "Her passion for fine wine and consistently delicious food has paved the way for many of the restaurants in South Walton, Fla. She was an inspiration to women entrepreneurs everywhere."

A celebration of Crommelin's life is being planned for May 5 in South Walton, Florida, with another celebration in Montgomery soon after. Details of those events have not yet been finalized.

In lieu of flowers, her family has requested donations to causes Crommelin had long supported, including Alaqua Animal Refuge, Children's Volunteer Health Network and Caring and Sharing of South Walton.

Brad Harper covers business and local government for the Montgomery Advertiser. Contact him at bharper1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Former Alabama restaurant owner Harriet Crommelin dies