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When Jenny Lind Berry opened The Butler's Pantry in Cross Country Plaza On the Hill in February 1986, customers waited outside for a taste of her gourmet foods made from the freshest ingredients. The restaurant offered Columbus something unique: classic southern deli cuisine. For 18 years, Jenny Lind (and Manager/Co-Owner Jo Ellen Holbrook) provided great food to the people of Columbus.
In December, 2003, however, Jenny Lind looked forward to her retirement, which meant that she would be reluctantly closing the successful restaurant she had built, just after the Christmas holiday.
On the Tuesday before Christmas, December 2003, Teresa Tomlinson walked into The Butler's Pantry to buy lunch. She jokes that she walked out having bought the restaurant.
Faithful customers for years, she and her husband Trip, both local attorneys, even had The Butler's Pantry cater their wedding. So, when Teresa heard the owner would soon retire and close the business, she was crushed. "I told Jo Ellen to talk with Jenny Lind and give me a call."
Just days after the New Year, the Tomlinsons closed the deal.
Other than not wanting to lose their favorite lunchtime spot, what promoted the couple to tackle the restaurant business?
"The Butler's Pantry is part of the character of this community", Teresa Tomlinson explains. "There's great stability among the staff and we have very loyal customers. Many of our employees and customers have been with us for a long time. We realized these people are obviously committed; we're like a family."
When Jo Ellen agreed to stay on as caterer, the Tomlinson’s knew they could continue to provide the same, consistent Butler’s Pantry quality and experience.
In 2005, The Butler's Pantry stepped it up a notch by bringing in Tonya Pike (Teresa’s sister), as co-owner and General Manager. Tonya has vast experience in operations of multi-location entities. Under Tonya’s leadership and direction, The Butler’s Pantry opened its second location, The Butler’s Other Pantry, at Bradley Park. In 2006, The Butler’s Pantry celebrated its 20th year in business.
The Butler’s Pantry family is proud of their restaurant and its niche in the community. From former customers to current caring owners, the owners of The Butler’s Pantry look forward to another 20 years nourishing their customers with good food, good wine, and good cheer.
More About The Butler's Pantry
The Butler's Pantry's commitment to customer satisfaction and its quality foods engender loyalty among its patrons. Located in Cross Country Plaza on "The Hill" since 1986, The Butler's Pantry is renowned for specialty sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts. The Butler's Pantry also has a significant corporate catering business, which includes many of the area's largest companies. Clients such as AFLAC, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Kysor/Warren appreciate the customized menus of boxed lunches, sandwich and side salad trays or hot lunch items. Breakfast meeting caterings are common with business clients clamoring for Butler's "scrumptious eggs", cheese grits casserole and sausage pinwheels. Corporate clients and individual customers additionally enjoy personalized attention in their special event caterings from cocktail parties to picnics and weddings.
The Butler's Pantry also provides home-cooked meals in minutes for those too busy to cook. A few items available for a ready-made meal are chicken Tetrazzini, Shepherd's Pie, chicken and mushroom crepes, poppy seed chicken, lasagna, shrimp and oyster gumbo, and more. In keeping with tradition, everything is made fresh daily, from scratch, and on the premises.
And, if it's wine you want with your meal, The Butler's Pantry has built up an extensive collection of small, eclectic vintages, with most bottles priced at under $25. The Butler's Pantry chooses from the vast array of wines on the market today and offers its customers only well-vetted, solid wines at varying price levels.
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