After four years and four months, Lawhon's Restaurant in downtown Luverne has closed its doors for business.

Don and Robin Lawhon are the owners of the Lawhon Restaurant business, which sits on the corner of East Fifth Street.

&#8220We will certainly miss all of our loyal customers,” Robin Lawhon, a Spanish teacher at Red Level High School, said.

Don Lawhon said that the couple, who moved to Crenshaw County in 2001 from Soperton, Ga., opened the business on April 2, 2002.

&#8220We were ready to open on April 1, but we didn't want to open on April Fool's Day,” he said, laughing.

Lawhon added that even though he owns the restaurant, &#8220his wife is the boss.”

Lawhon, who was a construction worker for 20 years before going into the restaurant business, said that he had been cooking &#8220all his life.”

&#8220My grandmother, Amanda Lawhon, had a cedar block in her kitchen,” he said. &#8220When I was five or six years old, she would stand me on it in front of the stoveŠ.the first thing I remember her teaching me was how to make bread pudding.”

When it comes to closing the restaurant, Lawhon said that health problems have caused him to have to cut back on his physical activities.

&#8220It has been a lot of fun, and I've really enjoyed it, but I know when it is time to say ‘when,'” he said.

Debra Holmes of Luverne has worked at the restaurant since Feb. of 2004.

&#8220When I first started working here, I didn't think I'd ever catch on,” Holmes said, laughing. &#8220I had never been a waitress before.”

&#8220I did spill tea on a customer one time, but he just laughed about it,” she added.

Holmes, who also drives a school bus for the Crenshaw County School System, said that the thing she'll miss the most about the restaurant are the customers.

&#8220We have certain customers who come in every day,” she said. &#8220I love working with people and talking with them, and I'm really going to miss that.”

&#8220I've already cried about it a whole lot because this place has been a big part of my life for the last two and a half years,” she added.

Don Lawhon said that he wanted to &#8220thank all of their devoted and loyal patrons who have supported us for the last four and a half years.”

Lawhon said that the restaurant business itself will be for sale, and anyone who is interested in buying it should contact him at 334-335-3394.