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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶
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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶

Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: Bully’s Restaurant

ORAL HISTORY

Greta Brown Bully

Greta Brown met her future husband when her job required her to pay a visit to Bully’s Restaurant. The year was 1992, a decade after Bully’s Restaurant first opened its doors. She worked at a car dealership at the time and was following up on a payment owed by one of Tyrone Bully’s employees. Tyrone paid the balance on the spot. Greta started eating there regularly. First, she fell in love with the meatloaf. Her love for Tyrone grew from there. Together, they pursued a new vision for the restaurant. Today, Greta and Tyrone work together, serving up plates of seasoned-to-perfection chitterlings, tender oxtails, golden fried catfish, smothered pork chops, and fresh greens to their loyal customers. The duo is holding strong to their titles of “queen and king of Soul Food” in Jackson since their start in the early 1990s.

Date of interview:
2013-09-05

Interviewer:
Kimber Thomas

Photographer:
Kimber Thomas

Download Transcript

“

“We’re going to do what families do. We’re going to bond, and we’re going to be the backbone for everybody. And our community has embraced it because they want to see a family make it.” ~Greta Brown Bully

Other Project Interviews

Interview

Rev. Barry Taylor, customer

Reverend Barry Taylor is one of 18 children. His parents worked on a plantation in Belzoni, Mississippi, before moving…

Interview

Remi Oladipo, employee

Remi Oladipo found her way to Bully’s Restaurant after emigrating from Nigeria. She met Greta Bully, wife of owner…

Interview

Janis Jordan, customer

Janis Jordan is a longtime customer at Bully’s Restaurant. She's also a musician and performs in the small front room…

Interview

Jacqueline Tard, employee

Jacqueline Tard has worked for the Bully family for over 30 years. She started out with the senior Mr. Bully when he…

Interview

J. B. Mance, customer

J. B. Mance has known Tyrone Bully since he was a small boy. He was friends with Tyrone’s parents, and when he wasn’t…

Interview

Ballery Tyrone Bully

Ballery Tyrone Bully opened Bully’s Restaurant in 1982, with the help of his father. Now, over 30 years later, he…

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