Talkin' Turkey: 7 things to know as Bates House of Turkey returns to Montgomery
With Monday’s grand opening of a new Bates House of Turkey on Carter Hill Road in Montgomery, the Alabama gobbler giant is coming home to roost.
Michelle Sloane, granddaughter of turkey legend W.C. “Bill” Bates, said the new location was inspired by the love and encouragement her family received from community members around Westminster Shopping Center. Along with being the restaurant’s new home, it was the site of their most recent holiday pop-up shop.
“The neighborhoods around us were just begging us to come back,” Sloane said.
The Bates’ family restaurant in Greenville was their first in 1969, and remains an iconic spot to this day — a place you can go any time of the year and get a meal worthy of a Thanksgiving dinner. After all, the birds are fresh from their century-old Bates Turkey Farm in nearby Fort Deposit. Daily restaurant guests look like a big family at a holiday meal as they relax and take in the atmosphere.
No doubt the same things will be — and probably are already being — said about the new Montgomery branch. People have been lining up to enjoy turkey sandwiches and plates, plus homemade fixin’s and desserts during this past week’s soft opening at 2938 Carter Hill Road.
Both restaurants offer indoor and outdoor seating.
Their menus include turkey dinners, sandwiches, wraps and salads, with several sides and soups. They also have freezers full of fresh casseroles, dishes and soups ready to take home and pop into the oven. Once the hoopla’s over, the Montgomery restaurant can be reached by phone during the week at 334-215-7775.
Here are seven things you should know about the restaurants, the farm, and the family behind it all:
1. This isn’t Montgomery’s first Bates House of Turkey restaurant
Lest we forget, Montgomery had another turkey trot with Bates close to 30 years ago.
From 1977 to 1995, the Bates family brought their tradition, quality and care to a Bates House of Turkey on East Boulevard. It offered all the Greenville site’s staples, and even became a regular community gathering spot for local groups and organizations.
Bill Bates eventually sold the property to Lone Star Steakhouse. About four years after that, he told the Advertiser that he’d planned to expand the spot, but that Lone Star gave him an offer he just couldn’t turn down.
His family says there’s a little more to the story.
“Really, it was because he was getting older, and he wanted his kids to run the farm and the restaurant (in Greenville), the ones who were still in the business,” said Sloane, whose mother ran the Montgomery restaurant. “He wanted them to come back home.”
2. The Bates family’s turkey legacy hatched from nine eggs
When W.C. Bates Sr. and Helen (Bill Bates’ parents) were married, they got a special wedding present, the impact of which couldn’t have been imagined a hundred years ago. Aunt Mamie Bates gifted them with nine turkey eggs. In the years to come, that would grow into Bates Turkey Farm in Fort Deposit.
Imagine what would’ve happened if she’d given them one of those new-fangled,1920s-era toasters instead. Bates House of Toast doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but I’m sure Bill Bates could’ve pulled it off.
3. It’s still a family-run business
Sadly, Bill Bates is no longer with us. The “Turkey Man” — a veteran, proud husband and father, entrepreneur, church leader and force in Alabama politics — died at age 89 in 2013. But the Bates family legacy continues and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
“I’m in the business, my sister’s in the business and I have cousins in the business. My kids are in the business,” Sloane said. “We have a lot of us in it, and we felt like now is the time to try (Montgomery) again, so that we can still be family run.”
4. The Montgomery and Greenville restaurants have different schedules
The new Montgomery restaurant had a soft opening for a few days before closing Friday in preparation for Monday. After the grand opening, they’ll operate Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Greenville restaurant at 1001 Fort Dale Road, is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
5. You can order meals shipped directly from Bates Turkey Farm
Planning an extra huge gathering, but would rather have food shipped straight to you? Bates Turkey Farm has you covered with whole smoked turkeys, smoked breasts, BBQ turkey, turkey sausage, ham, dressing, sweet potato souffle, gravy, pie and honey. You can order it at batesturkey.com.
If you find yourself north of Montgomery, they’ve also got products available in Birmingham at five Piggly Wiggly stores: Bluff Park, Clairmont, Crestline, Homewood, River Run and Dunnavant Valley.
6. They’re famous for the turkeys that got away
Along with all their birds that ended up in Thanksgiving meals, the Bates became well-known for their “Clyde” turkey survivors — presented to Alabama governors every holiday since 1949 for official pardons.
7. Bates House of Turkey merch
If you want to wear something from Bates besides the food itself (hey, accidents happen), both Montgomery and Greenville locations have official "Eat Turkey Feel Perky" accessorized clothing and hats available for you on the spot.
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 7 things to know as Bates House of Turkey returns to Montgomery today
