Waffle House is big on Biloxi – covered, smothered and chunked, in the hash browns vernacular – but the company’s fifth location will be off the menu.
That’s because the new location, on U.S. 90 just west of Bellman Street, is in a Biloxi historic district and Waffle House developers answered Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s call for something special.
As a result, the new restaurant will be swathed in brick – some say it was inspired by the brick work at downtown’s Patio 44 – and it will have an “old Biloxi” feel through the use of historic photos. Since it’s in a a flood-hazard area, it’s elevated about six feet above ground, with convenient ramps and stairs.
“I’ve gotten a couple different stories about the elevation,” said Community Development Director Jerry Creel. “One company representative told me that this is the first, and the other told me this is the second.
“Regardless, the Waffle House designers have done something special for this location. This is not the first one of brick. All the Waffle Houses have brick, but this is the first one to use brick so extensively.”
Waffle House construction crews are winding down the remodeling of an Ocean Springs location before beginning work on the Biloxi site.
The abundance of Waffle House locations in Biloxi — primarily on U.S. 90 and a couple on west beach within blocks of each other — is a matter of popularity and economics.
“Unless something has changed recently,” Creel said, “the location on Reynoir Street is the second busiest Waffle House in the country. It’s second only to the location at Georgia Tech University.
“In fact, the Reynoir Street location is still No. 1 in the country for the first shift, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., but, to be honest, Waffle House has found that anytime is a good time to be in Biloxi.”
Gallery: See the Waffle House and other development
