Southside Eatery

South Side Eatery, a small sandwich shop located next door to Alee Academy closed in 2002 and remained vacant for some time. The staff saw this as an opportunity to expand the vocational training for the students. Alee Academy purchased the food service equipment and leased the space for one year to see if the students could make it work. The South Side Eatery “owned and operated by the students of Alee Academy” is now in its fourth year of operation.

The sandwich shop has been successful in affording students an opportunity to learn new skills, earn their food service certificate, work with the public and provide an alternative lunch menu to the school. Regular customers from within the community visit the sandwich shop daily. In the four years of operation, the restaurant has always received outstanding marks from the food service inspectors. This is a direct reflection of the effort by the staff to provide new ways for the students to be successful.