In East Tennessee, just west of the tiny town of Loudon and off Interstate 75, sits the Stop-N-Shop Over the Hill Grill on a sprawling parcel fronting U.S. Highway 72. There, owner Dipa Patel works alongside a small but mighty team of women to keep local residents well-fed, fueled and supplied.
Patel bought the gas station and convenience store in 2017, her second venture after running another c-store about 40 miles away in Etowah, Tennessee. After taking over the business from the prior owners, Patel expanded the selection of goods for sale, adding “additional brands of beer, cigarettes and other items,” she said. Recently, she replaced the 60-year-old gasoline pumps on the forecourt—a major undertaking but a needed one to offer her customers the ability to pay at the pump.
From the outset, Patel knew she could stake her claim to fame with food, so she hired Mallory Davidson to make things happen in the kitchen. “The cooks are important. Without them I’m nothing,” Patel said.
Stop-N-Shop Over the Hill Grill owner Dipa Patel and her all-female team keep the Loudon, Tennessee, c-store humming. Foodservice is a big part of the business, and Patel touts daily specials on social media. The Stop-N-Shop team from L to R: Mallory Davidson, Christina Monks and store owner Dipa Patel. On the foodservice side of the business, fried catfish is the grill’s specialty and grabbed the attention of a USA Today writer.
Davidson set about perfecting a Southern favorite—fried catfish. She wanted a dish to bring in customers and keep them coming back. “We do a special marinade. It’s a secret, but we marinate if for 24 hours. It’s coated in cornmeal and fried,” explained Davidson.
The fried catfish became popular with the East Tennessee locals, and in 2019, it gained national fame when a writer for USA Today happened into the store. “She loved our catfish,” Patel said. “I had great business; people came from all over. She put such a good word out, and that helped the store a lot. People came from everywhere.” The writer said of the catfish, “the breading provides a perfect crunch with a soft filet.”
The hamburgers are another popular choice at Over the Hill Grill. “We grind the meat fresh. We make quarter-pound and half-pound hamburgers. Fresh meat makes the difference. Everything is cooked to order,” Patel said.
The store uses Facebook to get the word out about its breakfast and lunch specials. Recent offerings included meatloaf with mashed potatoes, brown gravy and fried okra. One fan on Facebook left this review: “Great place, friendly staff with really good food ... cooked right in front of you with daily specials; all is great ... haven’t had anything bad. My fav is philly cheese steak sandwich with tots.”
An open kitchen means customers can see their food being prepared, and there’s plenty of seating at the counter and at booths.
Ladies Only
Patel is proud of the store and where her team of dedicated employees has helped her take it. Of course, she’s implemented a strategy that she feels is key to the growth: “Woman power! We have no men working here—only women,” she said.
Resourceful employees have allowed her to work with a small staff. “My employees are very good,” Patel said. “I have only two people working for me—one in the morning and one in the evening. They love me, and I love them. They work in the kitchen, and I work in the front.”
The USA Today lady came here, and she loved our catfish.
Live Bluegrass
Besides the food and expanded c-store offerings, Patel made another important change that brought the community to the store. She removed the pool table that the prior owners left behind, freeing up space for live entertainment.
A local bluegrass band thought the Stop-N-Shop might be the perfect place to play music and Patel agreed. “The band is called Hard Road. They come and play, and their friends come and eat the food,” she said, adding, “We were doing it every other Thursday. People would come and dance. We stopped with the coronavirus, and we’re waiting to see what happens in 2021.”
The Pandemic and Community
Like many businesses around the country, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the Stop-N-Shop. “We didn’t shut down, but we reduced hours and really reduced what we could offer on the menu,” Patel said. “People were just too worried to come. It really did affect the business for a while. [Customers would] call in, and we’d take it out to them.”
Curbside service has slowed down, but indoor dining and to-go orders are picking up.
As the pandemic descended on Tennessee in 2020, Patel wanted to serve the struggling families in her community. So, Stop-N-Shop reached out via Facebook last March: “To all the residents of Loudon County ... Due to the schools being closed and the concern of parents to provide food for their children during this time of crisis we will be providing scrambled eggs with biscuit or toast for breakfast and grilled cheese/hotdog for lunch for all children K-12. Free of charge.”
Whether it’s Southern favorites like fried catfish, fried bologna sandwiches or bluegrass music, people are drawn to this unique little c-store. Maybe it’s just that folks feel at home here. This hardworking group of ladies will tell you, “We love the people of Loudon.” The people of Loudon return the warm sentiment day in and day out. It’s no wonder Patel and her team of wonder women are feeling
a bit unstoppable.