Brewton will soon welcome a new steakhouse in the Old Willie’s location – Joel’s Restaurant, and the search is now on to hire its new crew.

Alysha Pitcher, Joel’s manager, said the company will host a job fair on Wed., June 28, from 9 a.m. until noon and then again from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. They are looking to fill a number of positions from wait staff to cooks to bartenders.

Joel’s Restaurant was started by Joel and Peggy Rickles in Trusselville in 1983. It was purchased by Charles Matsos in 2016. The Brewton location will be the second franchise site for Matsos, who recently acquired Michael’s Steakhouse.

Those steaks will be the main attraction for the restaurant’s nighttime menu, Pitcher said.

Locals will remember the building’s atmosphere and look, which was what drew the franchise to Brewton.

“The Brewton franchise and building is owned by William Jernigan,” Pitcher said. “That building is amazing, and when (Jernigan and Matsos) connected, that’s how the Brewton location happened.”

Pitcher said Jernigan will offer “mouth watering home cookin’ and Joel’s famous cornbread, homemade desserts, and sweet tea” for the lunchtime “meat and three” from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, it will feature “Michael’s steaks and everything else you would expect on a steakhouse menu, like seafood and burgers,” she said.

Pitcher said a tentative opening date is slated for the first part of August.

“We’re taking our time, doing things right,” she said.  “We want everything to be perfect – in as much as it can for an opening day for a restaurant.

“We don’t want to rush things,” she said. “We want to hire the right vendors, the right people so that we can give Brewton a restaurant that they can come to for years and years.”

To apply at Joel’s Restaurant, one must be at least 18-years-old with a valid driver’s license and is asked to bring a current resume.

Experience is preferred; however, training will be provided if necessary.