The restaurant stands on what was known as “the Donaldson Block,” as the block was owned by leading Opp businessman M.E. started building the Donaldson Hotel, where the restaurant currently resides. Winston, owner of Opp Building Supply, who was a 3-term mayor of Opp and who also built First Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, the original Church of Christ, as well as the Dean’s Pharmacy Build
ing. According to local newspapers and historical documents, there is no date on when the Donaldson Hotel opened, but on January 31, 1924 Opp Weekly had a headline “NEW DONALDSON HOTEL OVERFLOWING”, “45 Register Tuesday Night” and how customers were being turned away, as the 30 bedroom hotel was full every night. The Donaldson Hotel also housed Opp’s first beauty parlor and was the site for the South Alabama Dental Association meetings which included several banquets and even an orchestra and gained fame for serving 4 course dinners. Sadly, on December 30, 1930, fire destroyed the Donaldson Block, which included the Hotel Barber Shop, Bowling Alley, Ward Hardware and Finley & Company Warehouse. No guests were in the hotel as it had been closed recently. Several months later M.E. Donaldson received a contract to build Opp’s new Post Office in place of where the Donaldson Hotel stood. It was completed on July 1, 1931 according to Opp Postmaster A.R. Woodham, who was Palmer and Davis Nelson’s Grandfather, which is who the Wheelhouse purchased the building from. On May 19, 1932 the Scofield Bakery was purchased by R.A. McLean and was moved into the Donaldson Building beside the post office where the former Spuds Café was located. Scofield was the former owner of the bakery and remained as manager and later relocated the bakery to Main Street. Eventually in 1940 the post office and shops were relocated to make room for the peanut butter plant owned by Paulk Products Inc and the announcement was made by I.J. King who was the plant manager and H.B. Paulk, of Paulk grocery Company would head the company and began operation on June 3, 1940. A few years later, on April 17, 1943, Paulk Products sold to Blue Plate Foods, Inc and Blue Plate moved its Mississippi Peanut Butter Plant to Opp, which doubled the capacity of Opp and occupied the entire Donaldson Building. Fast forward to April 17, 2019, exactly 76 years when the two childhood friends, Merrill Culverhouse and Jon Gibson came up with a concept and started discussing the layout, menu and name. Culverhouse had the original idea back in his college days and always wanting to open a restaurant, but the dream started to take shape in 2017 when Opp’s Mayor Becky Bracke held a town hall type meeting of concerned citizens about ways to improve Opp and get it back on track for a prosperous future. Culverhouse left the meeting he felt like it was time for him to act. He discussed the idea with his wife Susan and after considerable debate, she agreed, but under one condition. That’s only if Chef Jon Gibson would agree to partner up with them. He contacted Chef Jon and after several months of discussions, Chef Jon agreed to come on board.
“Two Coats, One Vison”
While each wears a different “style” of coat, they each have vision. Culverhouse wears a pharmacist lab coat and Gibson wears a Chef coat. Culverhouse and Jon grew up in the same neighborhood, went to church and school together and he is an accomplished Chef. Gibson brings with him years of culinary experience from all parts of the United States and Europe and has the credentials and celebrity status to attract patrons from all over the United States. After of few weeks of trying to agree on a name, they finally agreed upon “Wheelhouse”. Why “Wheelhouse”? Gibson came up with three reasons for the name. Opp was founded because of the railroad and “wheelhouse” in railroad terms means a device which allows train cars or wagons to turn around or switch tracks…which is the focus of Opp’s administration and the DRA (Downtown Redevelopment Authority) to turn Opp around and make it a better place to live, work, play and raise a family. Then Gibson’s several years of preparing seafood and fishing on the east, west and Gulf coast. Wheelhouse meaning part of the boat serving as shelter for the person at the wheel. Finally, wheelhouse referring to a batter’s strike zone most likely to produce a homerun. With the opening of “Wheelhouse”, Culverhouse and Gibson want to offer an option to keep Opp residents dining in Opp, but also attract people from surrounding areas and making Opp a location destination. Wheelhouse Mission Statement:
To be one of South Alabama’s restaurants of choice for our guests and to be the employer of choice for employees. We want to share in the benefits we receive by giving back to our local community and people.
