Personal touches

Two recently-opened Harlem restaurants are dreams come true for their owners.

//

Steven Williams sold his partnership in ACES Garbage Service and opened Williams Bakery & Sweets with this wife, Melissa, in early November.

"My wife has always had a dream of owning her own cake shop and bakery," Williams said.

The bakery, at 174 E. Milledgeville Road next to the former Bill's Dollar Store, features a variety of sweet treats, including muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes and even pizza.

The bakery is a family-run business that includes some help from the Williams' four children -- Steven Jr., 15; Tyler, 14; Christian, 11; and Alyssa, 8.

"They do their homework, then they get to cleaning or making pizzas, or making bread, or cracking eggs, or throwing dough everywhere," Williams said.

The bakery's specialty is red velvet cake. It also offers wedding and other specialty cakes.

The bakery is open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Harlem's other new restaurant is Harry-O's.

The family-style restaurant, owned by Harry Morgan, of Dearing, opened Feb. 27 at 179 N. Louisville St. in the former location of BG's Deli & Fine Catering.

"We couldn't ask for anything better," Morgan said. "The people here are really friendly. They opened up for us."

Morgan, who is retired from the military, spent 40 years in food service, including 16 years as food service director for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He and his wife also have traveled the Southeast with a concessions trailer.

The Morgans moved from Martinez to a home they recently built in Dearing.

"I just saw this place for sale and it (a restaurant) was something I always wanted to do," said Morgan, who opened the restaurant with his nephew, Oral Wells, of New York. "Since I'm retired, I can invest the time in it."

The restaurant features Southern "comfort foods," including barbecue pork and brisket, grilled steaks and seafood, along with hamburgers, hotdogs and grilled chicken salads.

"Basically, we serve anything a person wants," Morgan said. "You walk in here and if it is something that can be prepared, we'll prepare it."

Harry-O's is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch Monday-Wednesday; and from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday-Saturday.