Mae's on Main

*Note: This restaurant has sadly, closed.)

On Wednesday I stopped into Mae's on Main, a little, itty bitty, cafe on Main Street Travelers Rest.   My hair lady, Laura Gibson, talks about the place all the time, so I thought I'd finally give their lunch a try. Toasted homemade pimento cheese on homemade white bread, with a giant bowl of fresh fruit and a cupcake... oh, and a can of coke.  I wasn't going for healthy here.  It was honestly like chillin' in someone's kitchen.  

Debra, the owner,  was out at a meeting, but while I ate, her sister, Laura, told me stories about the Kramer family while she frosted cupcakes.  The family has lived on the property since the 1930's.  They apparently come from a long line of stock car racers and adventurists.

Her great grandfather was obsessed with bicycles his whole life and would teach himself tricks in a hay field, against his dad's wishes.  He wanted his son to be a farmer. (How practical.) Instead, Henry Kramer ran off to join the circus.  

"We call ourselves the Carnie Family," she said.  Henry died in 1959.  He broke his hip riding a bike and never recovered. 

Okay, get this, her father followed the family tradition and rode bikes, juggled and did magic in his own traveling show.  Her mom was his showgirl until they settled down to have kids. 

Okay, more stories.  So her grandmother fell in a well on her head when she was little and it ruined her hair follicles.  All of her hair fell out so she wore wigs most of her life.  

When she was just hanging around the house, she'd wear a towel turbaned around her head held on with a pretty little pin...one of which, they use to hold the curtain back on the front door.  A quick look around the place and you'll find all sorts of family relics including a mounted ice crusher, pictures of family and furniture straight out of the 50's (at least!). 

I had the best time and a wonderful lunch.  I swear I came out of there with a full stomach and a full spirit.  You gotta try this place!