Deb's: Jamestown's Hotspot for Food, Fun & Entertainment
Friday, 17 June 2011 12:36
Deb's: Jamestown's Hotspot for Food, Fun & Entertainment
Deb Wheatcraft is continually looking for ways to make her business "bigger and better"! Deb's Place in Jamestown was originally a run-down property with only the beverage drive-thru until Deb purchased it over 17 years ago and remodeled the building making it a flourishing business.When you talk to Deb, you can tell her heart is in servingthe community. Opening up at 8 AM with a breakfast menu she and her staff hit the ground running. There are homemade lunch specials and homemade soups everyday along with a dinner menu that is something to be proud of. Deb's Place is well-known for their steaks and grill-outs on Friday and Saturday nights. She has even been voted "best steaks in Greene County". She also offers "50 cent Wings" on Thursday nights and they fix Baby Back Ribs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Just remember, the kitchen closes at 10 PM although they stay open until midnight or later.
The food, though, at Deb's Place is not the only thing that draws customers back. Deb likes to offer entertainment and has scheduled a solo guitarist on Thursday nights, a DJ and Karaoke on Friday nights and one Saturday night a month there is a live band for her customer's enjoyment!
With all of this said, there is still more to Deb. She and her husband, Leonard Sr., go all out and invite their customers and all their friends to a special time "at their own place" to celebrate the weekend of July 4th! Deb says, "we feed them all, have a live band and shoot fireworks! This is a tradition and we love it."
In the past 6 weeks, though, the Wheatcraft family has had to move their focus towards Miami Valley hospital due to their son, Leonard Jr., suffering from a terrible accident. Seeing improvement and having hope of recovery is encouraging and you can hear that in her voice as she shares their story. Deb is a Jamestown resident and has been a hometown girl all her life. The family is very overwhelmed with the turnout of people offering their support and help during this difficult time. She also can't say enough about her employees who have truly stepped up and take care of most of the daily needs of the business while she has had to turn her attention elsewhere.
During the time I interviewed Deb for this article, we had good conversation and I realized she has real heart for what she does. No matter what it is, she has intentions to offer the best. When asked about surrounding businesses, she spoke highly of Jamestown and welcomes business competition saying "there is enough to go around". Deb said it well when she stated, "I believe competition is a good thing. It keeps us on our toes and giving good service!" So, you can count on Deb to do just that.
Beverly Clark
Chamber Columnist