In twenty plus years as a journalist, my answer is always the same. Didn’t matter if I was discussing Super Bowls, Space Shuttle launches or property taxes, I’ve been fortunate enough to see a whole lot in my career, but by far my favorite part of the job? The opportunity to meet fascinating people. Chatting with celebrities can be overrated (especially Pete Rose). There are some that are as interesting and fascinating as you would imagine. Always an honor to share some time. But at the end of the day, the most interesting, genuine people you will ever meet, when you are walking down the street. They are the people that you meet each day. (20 bonus points if you can remember that song. But I digress).
We shot an episode on fried chicken over the last couple of weeks for Eat It and Like It. It aired last Sunday. I met some fantastic people with some fantastic stories. All of them as different as their approach to fried chicken. Jonathan Woods, owner of Li’l Chick in Savannah, however, took the cake. And the chicken. For those of you who don’t know, Li’l Chick is a throwback fried chicken shack on Bay Street just west of downtown Savannah. Family owned for nearly 50 years, they’ve been frying up birds and pushing them in Styrofoam boxes nearly every day, rain or shine, seemingly forever. No frills at this spot. The locals know that. Chicken, previously frozen French Fries, a biscuit, ketchup and hot sauce.
“It’s the way my uncle used to do it. He said keeping it simple ultimately would be cheaper in the long run”, says Mr. Woods, who clearly runs a fine tuned machine on the Westside. The lines at his chicken window prove he must be doing something right. And yes, there is a line. Sometimes longer than other times, but pretty much always there. “We use the same recipe. We always have”, he says. “Why change it?” The chicken on this day, however, was only part of the story.
Mr. Woods and his wife live on the property where Li’l Chick is located. After we did our interview and snacked on some perfectly fried chicken breasts, I got a tour. It’s a significant parcel of land they have fenced off. His wife raises doves in the back, there’s even a chicken pen (didn’t see any chickens back there). It’s a maze of amazement. Fascinating at every turn. Clearly, Mr. Woods doesn’t like to get rid of anything. “This here we used for my daughter’s wedding”, he says pointing to a gazebo-like structure with a garden now growing in it. “It was so expensive, I didn’t want to get rid of it afterwards”, he adds. We even got a look at his very much in use wood shop. I venture to say Mr. Woods is in his 70’s. Still sharp as a tack, he showed me how he makes all of his own signs and does all of his wood work.
“I’ve got my coffin over there.”
“Your what?” I ask.
“Yes, made my coffin. It’s standing over there. It’s a toe pincher model.”
Sure enough, a few steps later, I peek around a corner to see a casket standing in the corner. Which is just great, I guess. As long as you are OK with that daily reminder when you show up for work every day.
There is not a subject that Mr. Woods can’t engage you on. We sat in his office for a good hour shooting the breeze about politics, the media, government conspiracies, security and property taxes. We all have our opinions about a great number of issues, but sometimes it’s just fine to sit and listen. Listen to a man who’s been around the block a few more times than I have, and sees things from his perspective. I may not have agreed with everything he said, but he sure was entertaining.
For all of his charm, Mr. Woods is a business man. Always trying to figure out a better, easier way to sell is chicken. “We created this for the people of the neighborhood. That’s our customer base.” Although he does love to share the fact that he can count Gulfstream, International Paper and other corporate entities in the area as customers as well. “We get big orders from them pretty regularly. Retirement parities and things like that”, he says.
While his daughter runs the shop along with a few employees, he keeps an eye on everything from storage, to refrigeration to coats of paint and lighting out front. It’s a small operation, but it’s an incredibly busy operation. Thousands of pieces of chicken pass through their tiny window up front every week. There is no doubt about that. And why not? It’s incredibly good, at a great price and one of Savannah’s more interesting…uhhhh dining experiences? Yeah. Fair enough. Just don’t look for any seating. It’s all to go.
See you on TV.
Jesse
