FLORENCE — One of Florence’s downtown restaurants is offering quick bites at a new grab-and-go location.
Dargan Street’s breakfast and lunch hotspot, LilJazZi’s, branched out to a new location across town. LilJazZis Too is serving up soul food, salads and desserts from inside an Amoco gas station.
“It’s pretty much on-the-go,” owner Andrena Mullins said. “We fix your plate and send you out the door.”
Andrena Mullins owns LilJazZi's and LilJazZis Too.
The grab-and-go spot is nestled in the corner of the gas station. A hot bar full of macaroni and cheese, fried chicken and blueberry cobbler is a far cry from gas station classics like chips and candy bars.
LilJazZis Too will have options that aren’t available at the downtown location. Breakfast and lunch are stars of the show at the downtown location with specialty waffles, grits bowls and hot dogs. The new location will have a similar, full breakfast spread.
The new grab-and-go lunch options will have a new focus, Mullins said.
“For lunch, we got more soul food kind of style,” Mullins said. “We have different options, every day we'll do something different. It might be chicken bog one day, ribs one day.”
A daily menu will be available on LilJazZi’s social media as the options change, Mullins said.
LilJazZis Too is inside the Amoco gas station on West Palmetto Street in Florence.
Customers can opt out of the rotating hot bar if they’re more interested in some of the made-to-order options. Although it would take more time, customers can choose from options like hamburgers, chicken strips or hot dogs.
The new location has a stocked cooler with customizable salads for customers who aren’t in the mood for a hot meal.
LilJazZis Too is Mullins’ third restaurant venture. She originally opened LilJazZi’s in the Florence Regional Airport, but moved to the downtown location around three years ago. The restaurant business fell into Mullins’ lap each time, she said.
Amoco owner Sonny Desai pushed Mullins to open the new location. His store used to have a similar setup years ago with good food, he said. After a few years of an empty kitchen and an unused space in his store, he reached out to see if Mullins would fill the gap.
“People are enjoying the food and they love to come back,” Desai said. “It’s helping my business, too.”
Business at the new location has been climbing steadily, location runner and chef Brandon Bace said. After less than a full week of being open, the breakfast bar sold out twice.
Mullins hopes the new location is an opportunity to interact with more people, she said. Nearly 15 minutes outside of downtown Florence, the new spot brings in customers she might not see at the main location.
Brandon Brace (right) cooks and helps run LilJazZis Too.
“Everyday people just come through,” Mullins said. “It's going to be nice to kind of build a different kind of relationship. Different from more of the sit down, relaxed kind of atmosphere.”
LilJazZis Too is testing operating hours during its soft opening. Mullins expects to fully launch the grab-and-go location on April 22. Though quick bites are the main aim of the new location, Amoco has tables available for customers who want to eat inside.
The new location is located inside Amoco at 3301 W. Palmetto St. in Florence. Customers can stop in for a plate Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
