It’s the end of a delicious era in Savannah. Celebrity chef Paula Deen and her sons, Jamie and Bobby, have officially closed the doors of their beloved restaurants, The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box, both located in the heart of Savannah’s historic district.
In a heartfelt announcement posted Friday, August 1, on The Lady & Sons Facebook page, the family shared that Thursday, July 31, was the final day of service. “We have endless love and gratitude for every customer who has walked through our doors,” the post read. “Savannah will always be our home.”
The closure marks the end of nearly four decades of Paula Deen’s legacy in the city where it all began. Deen, now 77, started her food journey back in 1989 with a small lunch delivery service called The Bag Lady. From humble beginnings, she quickly grew her Southern cooking empire into restaurants, cookbooks, TV shows, and beyond.
The Lady & Sons, known for its fried chicken, mac and cheese, and gooey butter cake, first opened in January 1996. The restaurant moved to its final and most famous location at 102 West Congress Street in 2003, drawing tourists and locals alike for over two decades.
The Chicken Box, located on West Saint Julian Street, was a newer addition but still rooted in the Deen family’s signature style of comforting, deep-fried Southern fare.
While the Savannah chapter is closing, the Deens aren’t stepping out of the food business just yet. The family plans to focus on their other restaurant chain, Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen, which has locations in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Missouri. These venues carry the same Southern charm and home-style recipes that made Deen a household name.
Paula and her husband remain residents of Savannah, and the family made it clear in their message that this isn’t goodbye to the city. “We’re not going anywhere,” they wrote, “Savannah is forever in our hearts.”
For fans and longtime patrons, it’s a bittersweet moment — the loss of a local favorite, but also a reminder of just how far Paula Deen’s Southern cooking has traveled since those first bagged lunches.
