The Anthony consolidates operations to downtown location

Published 5:20 pm Monday, December 30, 2019

A year ago, owners of The Anthony purchased the B’nai Brith Literary Club to expand their business. In October, they began serving lunch at the iconic downtown building as well as continuing their service at the Vicksburg Country Club.

Now, 12 months after purchasing their downtown location,  restaurateurs Derek Howard, Matthew Bell and Clint Walker have decided one location is best. 

Sunday marked the final day of operation for The Anthony at the country club and Thursday will mark a new start for the company operating exclusively out of the B.B. Club.

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“Sunday was our last day at the country club,” event coordinator Ellen Amborn said.

Bell, Howard and Walker, who all graduated from high school in Vicksburg, opened The Anthony at the Vicksburg Country Club in May 2017, and this past October, in addition to special events, The Anthony began serving lunch at the B. B. Club and this service will continue.

Bell said The Anthony will serve lunch Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and that dinner services will not be offered.

“Our primary focus will be events,” Bell said, which includes weddings, receptions and private and corporate dinners.

And since most of these events are held at night, Bell said, it would not allow for dinner service.

Since opening in 2017, owners of The Anthony had a lease agreement with the country club, but now seemed to be the right time to transition to a facility they own, Bell said, adding the trio have been working with the club on the move.

And while the move will leave a vacancy in the restaurant portion of the country club, Larry Oaks, president of the country club’s board, said the club will continue to offer and manage food services to its members.

“The club’s intent is to continue to serve food to our members, but upstairs will not be open to the public,” he said.

However, Oaks said, the board is in talks with another “entity,” who is looking at coming in to take over the public restaurant portion of the club.

“We hope to be able to make an announcement by the end of January,” Oaks said. “I am very excited about the prospect that we have been speaking with.”

For the civic clubs who meet at the country club for their weekly meetings, Oaks said food service will also continue for these groups.

Rotary Club President Phillip Doiron said he has been in talks with The Anthony and Vicksburg Country Club board members about the transition.
“We have been working with both the board and The Anthony and it has been smooth,” Doiron said.

The Anthony Downtown will officially open Thursday and Bell said to expect new items on the menu.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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