“We looked everywhere — and found this perfect space.”
The Southern Gourmet’s Crystal and Randy Provance outgrew their NoDa catering business about ten years ago. “We looked everywhere – and found this perfect space,” Crystal says of her catering shop on Monroe Road, in the Greylyn Business Park. It’s where they also have a lunch café that serves gourmet salads, sandwiches, burgers and paninis in a style described as “Southern meets gourmet.”
They’ve been a thriving catering business, serving 100+ people a day everything from boxed lunches to cookouts to dinner parties – they even grew during the recession. So when in 2014 they decided to add an event venue to their list of offerings and the space next door became available, things really fell into place. Southern Garden Events is a banquet space with a garden motif for weddings, cocktail parties, and other gatherings for those who want an outdoor feel without the outdoor weather.
While they cater throughout Charlotte, Crystal says that “the town of Matthews has totally embraced us,” and she even led the Matthews Chamber of Commerce as president in 2013 and served on its board for four years. She’s a big supporter of small businesses, particularly throughout the MoRA area.
It was a terrible loss when Randy unexpectedly passed away a year ago. Not only was Crystal shocked and grief-stricken at the loss of her husband, but Randy had been her business partner who handled the financial side of the operation. Crystal admits that she couldn’t have carried the business forward without her longtime employees – her work family, who also loved Randy – stepping in to take on additional responsibilities as she found her way.
MoRA’s Kathy Hill and Crystal Provance of The Southern Gourmet
The Southern Gourmet sources their menu items locally, and supports sustainability. See for yourself by stopping in for lunch — and trying their mac and cheese cupcake (?!) or one of their new sandwiches:
- chicken caprese club
- texas ruben
- strawberry turkey brie panini
While you’re there, ask to see their catering menus, or visit their garden-themed banquet venue right next door.
MoRA needs YOUR help! VOLUNTEER with us on important community projects. Can’t volunteer? DONATE to help make our public art dream a reality. Even a $20 tax-deductible donation will help give the neighborhood a beautiful, defining sculpture that residents can be proud of.
