This month marks seven years since I returned to Savannah for good. August 2008. It was hot the day we drove that moving van into town. Sure, that’s a stretch, right?
In the days since that scorching summer day, we’ve seen a lot of things change in our city. Broughton Street is — in my opinion — on the absolute right track. Pooler has grown from toddler to pre-teen. And the number of movies that have come through town is pretty impressive, the first of which starred a popular and pretty young lady who charmed Tybee Island visitors with impromptu sets at Stingray’s.
Do you remember that Miley Cyrus? Far cry from the um …“lady” she has become today. Yes, people can change in six years. Since then, off the top of my head, we’ve had Robert Redford return to Savannah for “The Conspirator.” “Spongebob 2” shot downtown, as did “Magic Mike XXL”and “CBGB.”
It’s great to have some pretty big stars in town for these movies. It’s great for creating a buzz. Inevitably, you will hear about stars being spotted at this spot or that spot, which is wonderful for local businesses, but I have yet to see a movie production create as much buzz food-wise as the current Adam Sandler film “The Do Over” being shot in Savannah.
“It’s been a great boost for us,” says Patsy Hood who, along with her husband Jim, owns The Naked Dog and Repicci’s Italian Ice on River Street.
“They’ve used us four times for snacks for the crew. They were all very nice.”
The Hoods spent an entire afternoon recently on Monterey Square along with staff from Savannah Coffee Roasters offering snacks and refreshments to not only actors but to production staff as well. They are far from alone; restaurants all over town have been getting phone calls asking if they can provide meals in a hurry or cater lunch or dinner the next day.
“They’ve used us for catering three times,” says Trey Wilder, owner of Treylor Park on Bay Street.
It isn’t just downtown either.
“They called us while they were filming on Isle of Hope,” says Robyn Quattlebaum, owner of Sandfly’s Driftaway Café. “They asked if we could have dinner for 90 people within three hours. I said, ‘Sure, no problem.’” Three hours later, the skies opened up, the summer rains came and production wrapped for the day. “They still came in, picked up the food, paid the bill and donated it to a local shelter.”
The Collins Quarter has catered a few meals as well. Leopold’s Ice Cream has also provided scoops on occasion. One restaurant even got a call to fill Sandler’s private plane with food for a quick trip up to New York City to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”
I may be wrong, but I don’t recall ever seeing a major motion picture using local restaurants to provide this much food and drink. Typically you hear about food trucks parked adjacent to a location and they provide all of the food during production. This approach is a little different.
“I think it’s because of the number of local production people they are using,” Hood says. “I heard them talking about places to recommend.”
Hey, whatever it takes, right? Besides, every single one of these restaurant owners is appreciative of the extra business. But it doesn’t stop there.
“They’ve also come in here plenty of times. The night Adam Sandler was here for dinner, I wasn’t in, so I missed him,” Wilder says.
To his credit, for a man with his star power, Sandler hasn’t lurked in the shadows. There have been no shortage of selfies with the staff at Sunrise Restaurant on Tybee Island or anywhere else in town, for that matter.
Sandler and most of the cast of “The Do Over” have been spotted all over town. Sandler hasn’t shied away from attention, dining anywhere and everywhere, including Tybee Island Fish Camp. Co-star David Spade has been spotted at Rocks on the Roof at the Bohemian Hotel and The Cotton Sail.
It’s not just this movie, either. Robert De Niro was spotted dining at Pacci and Cha Bella while in town shooting “Dirty Grandpa” a few months back.
It doesn’t get much bigger and brighter than that.
Too old-school? Well, a few months ago, Johnny Depp was spotted dining at a downtown location I cannot reveal, when his girlfriend was part of the “Magic Mike” film.
Last weekend? Usher (yeah!) had dinner at Pacci.
That’s a lot to chew on, I know. But give it some thought. I remember when it was the biggest thing since they brought back red M&M’s when Will Smith was spotted at The Pink House in town for “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” Similarly, director Robert Redford was no stranger to the private dining room at Il Pasticcio on Broughton and Bull. Or you heard whispers that Matt Damon was staying at The Ballastone Inn.
It was nice to see, but it was nowhere near what it has been the last few years, which can do nothing but improve the city’s profile in Hollywood.
They are coming in larger numbers because of the tax benefits the state of Georgia offers them, of course, but there isn’t any question, based on what I have seen and been told, that the stars are enjoying themselves here. Eating and liking, if you will. Did we expect anything else?
See you on TV.
Jesse
