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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.

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ORAL HISTORY

Brian Boyle

Buckhead Diner

Brian Boyle was born in 1966 and raised in Crewe, Virginia. Boyle’s instincts for service come from his maternal grandmother who hosted Sunday dinners at her house. Growing up, he watched her tend to the table as the family ate, waiting until everyone was finished before she enjoyed a plate.

Boyle began his service career as a teenager working at fast food restaurants before moving on to full-service restaurants in college. He kept returning to restaurants for the flexible schedules. Boyle moved to Atlanta in 1995 and landed at Buckhead Diner in 1996. At the time of this interview in 2019, he still worked there and he still relished entertaining his regular customers.

Date of interview:
2019-11-14

Interviewer:
Henri Hollis

Photographer:
Henri Hollis

Download Transcript

“

“I just watched the Harvey Girls growing up, which is a Judy Garland movie about the trains moving out west, and they were—'The trains must be fed. The trains must be fed.’ Everything in that movie was so particular, down to the uniforms were impeccable, the food was great and lots for your money, big bang for your buck, which is always important. So, I say that I learned that through that movie, and just in general, watching T.V. and knowing how to act and what to do.” – Brian Boyle

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