A beloved Warner Robins spot closed in 2020. Now, original owner returns to revive it

More than 20 years since opening a Stevi B’s in Warner Robins, the original owner has returned to breathe new life into the pizza buffet.

The family-friendly restaurant reopened Jan. 18 under the management of Paul Burke after having sat vacant since late March, a victim of quiet corporate closings last year.

Burke originally opened the Stevi B’s at 2907 Watson Blvd., Suite 13, in what was then the Kroger shopping center in the summer of 1999, selling it and another store he owned in Buford in the spring of 2007.

Burke said he’d kept in touch over the years with the landlord who called him to let him know the property was available and asked if he’d be interested. Academy Sports + Outdoors now anchors the shopping center where the restaurant is located.

“Warner Robins was my favorite one,” Burke said of the Stevi B’s he’d owned. “It’s the best town.

“It’s the best people — just real exceptional loyalty if you treat them right. So, I kinda jumped at the chance to open up again.”

He has found memories of owning and operating the restaurant from Aug. 6, 1999 to April 4, 2007.

‘Oompa Loompas’

When Burke opened, his first born was a toddler who “couldn’t even see the pizza buffet.”

Burke shared a photo of the two of them dressed as “Oompa Loompas” from the movie, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” The photo was taken at the restaurant’s first Halloween costume contest in 1999.

Joey Burke, his son, is now 21 and a U.S. Army cadet at the University of North Georgia.

Paul Burke also shared a photo of himself behind the pizza buffet in 1999.

Several successful years passed. When an unsolicited offer to purchase his restaurants came along, Burke took it.

In the years that followed, Burke remained in restaurant operations in the Atlanta area where he lives. He’s made reopening and operation of the Warner Robins restaurant his full-time job.

His wife, Michelle, handles the books. They also have two daughters: Audrey, 16, and Abbey, 13.

“My wife, honestly, she keeps the lights on because she handles all the books and paying everybody,” Burke said. “I’m busy running around the restaurant making sure everybody’s cool around the four walls and she’s really, really good and taking that off my plate and making sure every penny is taken care of.

“I’m operations, and she’s accounts payable, receivables and administration.”

Loyal employees

Burke was able to locate and hire some of the people who worked for him when he first owned the restaurant, including Kevin Thomas.

Obtaining a work permit as a child, Thomas started busing tables at the restaurant just before his 15th birthday. He’s now 35.

“It actually means a lot,” Thomas said of returning to Stevi B’s. “Putting about half of my life into the business at a young age, you sort of get a passion for it.”

“I’m glad to be back.”

For the reopening, Burke said he invested “a lot of money in a really cool game room.”

The 900-square-foot arcade game room is now automated with cards that swipe like at an ATM.

“There’s no token or tickets, and it’s state of the art stuff,” Burke said.

The cards start at $1 and customers can add whatever amount they want.

“It makes it convenient for the kids to tell how many plays or credits are remaining on the cards,” Burke said. “From a COVID standpoint, it’s a million more times sanitary than having tokens come out of a machine and tickets come out of a machine.”

The restaurant also has a well-stocked redemption corner full of “cool prizes and toys.”

Precautionary measures

Burke’s taken other precautions against the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re taking it pretty seriously and I think it’s subsiding a little,” Burke said. “With the advent of the vaccine, and you know, a lot of people have already recovered from it.

“I think by the summer, it’s going to be a little more relaxed. But ... you’ve got to take your precautions ... while it’s still an issue.”

Burke was surprised when he heard about the Stevi B’s closing in Macon due to economic hardships the owner attributed to COVID-19. The Macon restaurant closed Jan. 31.

But Burke remains undaunted, expecting his restaurant to thrive in spite of the challenges of doing business during a global pandemic.

“The rest of the stores that are still operating have recovered nicely,” Burke said “We’re doing what you call the safe buffet. There are no common utensils anywhere in the store.

“We’ve got sanitizer anywhere you want to find it — doubled or tripled that ... To me, it’s all operations. We try to hire the most friendly people we can and and just run a real clean, friendly, fast operation.”

On a recent night shortly before closing, Brandi McIntyre was enjoying pizza at the restaurant with her family.

She was celebrating, having completed 30 days of eating only whole foods.

“We’re so happy it’s back open,” said McIntyre, who noted that having her own spatula made her feel safe. “It’s our favorite pizza and the price is great.”

The cost for dine-in is $6.49 for all-you-can eat for lunch on weekdays and $7.99 for dinner and the weekends. There’s also specials, including for seniors, and take-out options. Hours are 11 am to 8 pm. Sunday through Thursday and 11 to 9 p.m Friday and Saturday.

This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.