BY SAM VISE
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — When Ruby Presley first opened the doors of Krave Korner five years ago, she envisioned a modest lunch nook — a welcoming spot where neighbors could gather over a warm, home-cooked meal in an area where local sit-down dining options were hard to come by.
Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, the family-owned cafe has become a staple in the Chambers County food scene, serving everything from made-to-order country breakfasts to weekly dinners, weekend spreads and a thriving catering business that reaches across East Alabama.
“Her first initial vision was to provide a place for people in the community to come in, get home-cooked meals and have a dining space to sit and mingle with others in the community,” said Alesha Presley, Krave Korner’s booking and marketing coordinator and Ruby’s daughter. “We’ve always done catering — we’ve been catering for over 40 years now — so she wanted a space to provide her catering services out of, and also a place to just do lunch.”
That vision, however, was quickly reshaped by community demand.
Shortly after opening their initial storefront at 58 1st St. SE, patrons began asking why breakfast wasn’t on the table. Presley began turning out short-order breakfast items, and the dining room filled up almost immediately. Within just a single year, the business had outgrown its original location, prompting a move to accommodate the influx of daily diners and a growing catering schedule. The cafe now sits at 129 LaFayette St. South.
“The catering kind of took a whirlwind once we opened the business,” Alesha said, noting how Krave Korner quickly picked up large-scale catering jobs for major regional manufacturers like West Fraser, healthcare teams at East Alabama Medical Center and the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, and academic departments across Point University and Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business.
Despite the rapid regional footprint, Krave Korner’s heart remains anchored on the plate and in the kitchen.
Breakfast starts at 6:30 a.m. during the week. Menu items are cooked completely to order — from build-your-own omelets and eggs prepared to each diner’s liking to Southern staples like chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits. Wednesday through Friday features a traditional meat-and-three hot bar for $13.99, complete with three sides and bread, for lunch.
Thursday evenings mark the restaurant’s lone weekly dinner service from 5 to 8 p.m., spotlighting comfort classics like whole fried catfish and catfish fillets, Parmesan-crusted chicken, hamburger steak, the signature Krave Burger with all the trimmings and loaded chili cheese slaw dogs — a customer favorite. On the first Sunday of every month, the eatery opens its doors from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to feed the after-church lunch crowd.
For the Presleys, the key to thriving in the restaurant industry has been simple: serve the community first and let the rest follow.
“Just staying positive, running our own race and focusing on the bigger picture, which is serving the community,” Alesha said. “Not just making money or bringing in tons of revenue, but just being able to serve in our community and bring people into LaFayette as well. The main point and purpose is to bring the city together as one and to be more unified together as far as other surrounding communities.”
That community commitment has earned Krave Korner New Business of the Year awards from LaFayette Main Street alongside recognition from the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. Yet for Alesha, the greatest milestones remain the everyday human connections, from mentoring young local employees entering the workforce to setting the stage for hometown reunions.
One of her proudest moments came just recently when LaFayette High School alumni packed the cafe wall to wall for a homecoming food crawl featuring live music and food.
“It’s the most packed we have ever been since we opened,” she said. “We just really appreciate that love, support and recognition… that they thought of us here in LaFayette. They could have went anywhere else to patronize other businesses, but they chose to patronize locally and in their hometown.”
To mark the milestone this week, Krave Korner is offering daily $5 meal specials leading up to an all-day anniversary celebration on Thursday, Nov. 12.
Thursday’s festivities kick off with a $5 breakfast deal — complete with complimentary tea or Kool-Aid — followed by special lunch selections fresh off the outdoor grill. Thursday night’s dinner will feature $12 combos with drinks included, accompanied by a DJ, live music, door prizes, raffles throughout the day and community bingo from 6 to 8 p.m.
“This is really huge for us to have been there for five years,” Alesha said. “It has not always been easy. We have had some really dark and really long days and weeks of business not being where it should be or where we would want it to be. But we stayed the course, we’re still here and we’re hoping and praying for five more beautiful years as we’ve had already.”
Find Krave Korner on Facebook to view the full menu.
