Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Jeff Webster opened Station 31 Kitchen in Chelsea on May 13.
When Jeff Webster was growing up, most of his friends wanted to be firemen or baseball players. However, he knew from an early age he wanted to be in the restaurant business, and he has been for the past 25 years.
“As far back as I remember, I always wanted to own restaurants,” Webster said. “I used to draw out floor plans and everything.”
During middle school, Webster told his mom he wanted to get a job in a restaurant. His dad contacted a friend who owned a restaurant nearby in their hometown of Kissimmee, Florida, and Webster got his first taste of the restaurant business as a dishwasher. He later worked as a server and bartender before attending culinary school at Culinard, where he graduated with honors.
He spent several years working for and learning from some of Birmingham’s top chefs before deciding it was time to be his own boss. When he first brought up the idea of opening his own restaurant, his wife, Misty, wasn’t ready.
“She even asked her father to talk me out of it, and he said absolutely not,” Webster said. “After that, she encouraged me to go for it, and if it wasn’t for her, I would not be where I am today.”
Webster opened his first restaurant, Main Street Tavern in Montevallo, in 2009. A decade later, he opened Station 31 Kitchen in Chelsea, on May 13.
It was two years ago when Webster began thinking about adding a second restaurant. While building their new house, their contractors and friends Kyle Murphy and Dallan Ruch asked Webster to go in and open a restaurant with them. It didn’t take long until he was on board, although this time he was the hesitant one and his wife was encouraging.
Choosing Chelsea for his second restaurant came naturally for Webster. He and his family live in Chelsea Park, attend Double Oak Community Church, and their children attend Chelsea schools. Once they secured the old Chelsea Fire Station for the location, Webster was sold. He loves old buildings and architecture, and this building from the 1970s was a perfect fit.
“They designed the look and had the vision,” he said of Murphy and Ruch. “I could not ask for better partners. They are completely hands-on.”
The transition from one to two restaurants has not been difficult for Webster. He said his staff in Montevallo is second to none, and they can run the restaurant without him being there.
“We have had growing pains like everyone else, but our team is solid,” he said. “We’ve been molding and creating it for 10 years, and it runs like a well-oiled machine whether I’m there or not,” he said.
Webster brought Nick Stokes, who has worked for him for four years at Main Street Tavern, to be the front of house general manager at Station 31 Kitchen.
From start to finish, the process to open Station 31 Kitchen took 10 months, and Webster said the finished product speaks for itself. The old fire station has been transformed with an industrial look that includes metal chairs, wooden tables and exposed brick. Photos of firemen and Dalmatians adorn the walls, and string lights provide a sparkle to the dark, exposed ceilings.
The inside of the restaurant features two large dining rooms separated by a roll-up garage door. Tables with umbrellas line the outdoor patio area, which includes a grassy area with games for kids to play while their parents relax and enjoy dinner.
The menu has been a hit with customers so far. It is very similar to the one at Main Street Tavern, which Webster has been working on for 10 years.
“We try to change it up at least once a year, but this menu works,” he said. “People appreciate it because you can eat here several times a week and never have the same thing. The demographic in Chelsea is completely opposite from Main Street Tavern. In Montevallo, they love pasta and shrimp, and here they love burgers and steaks.”
While Webster spends his days handling day-to-day operations, his wife is involved behind the scenes, training servers and handling paperwork and bills.
“She does the things I’m not necessarily good at,” Webster said. “The joke is I run the place and she’s the boss. It’s a good dynamic.”
Webster said there is a strong possibility he will open another restaurant.
“Everything is a learning experience to me,” he said. “If we do this again, I’ve learned where we have fallen short and where we have done well.”
Station 31 Kitchen is located at 104 Chesser Drive next to the Chelsea Fire Department and will soon feature live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
It is open 4-9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. They do plan to open for lunch soon, but will be closed on Sundays.
Keep up with their latest information on Facebook by searching “Station 31 Kitchen.”
