Editor’s Note: EAN Reporter Amanda Pevey made a visit recently to Legacy Seafood of Millbrook and enjoyed some fresh seafood while there. She approves. The business will celebrate its Grand Opening Wednesday at 10 a.m.. They are located off of Hwy. 14 in Ashton Plaza Shopping Center. That is the shopping center between Winn Dixie and Food Outlet. At this time, you can call in your orders for pick up only. Outside dining is planned for the future.
BY AMANDA PEVEY
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Have you ever driven down to the beach to indulge in some yummy, scrumptious fresh seafood? If so, then you know how great fresh seafood is on the Gulf coast. Some of us are not always able to make it to the beach but there is a new local seafood restaurant that is open for business in Millbrook, Alabama.
Legacy Seafood Market has all the fresh, delicious seafood that came from the Gulf coast. It is located in the Ashton Plaza Shopping Center off of Hwy. 14. Their hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m-7 p.m.
Jeff Campbell is the owner and operator. He previously worked at Allstate Beverage for two years, and before that he was Co-Manager at the Walmart in Prattville. The Prattville job is what brought him to Alabama.
Campbell and his wife Sherry have been married for over 26 years. Sherry is a Professor at Auburn University at Montgomery where she teaches for the College of Education. They have two children together, T.J. Campbell III and Kaelyn Campbell. T.J. Campbell III is 24 and graduated from University of Alabama with a degree in Public Relations and Communications with an emphasis in sports. He recently accepted a job as an Assistant Director of Communications at Georgia Southwestern in Americus, Georgia. Kaelyn Campbell is 19 and is playing college softball for Coastal Alabama College in Bay Minette.
Jeff Campbell’s father, Jeff Campbell Sr., was a Commercial Shrimper in the 1970s in Thunderbolt, Georgia. Several months back Campbell Sr. asked an important question to his son. “If you could do anything for a living, what would it be?”
“I told him my dream job was to have my own place where I could feed people and share my love of seafood with other people, like my Aunt Hope does,” said Campbell Jr. His aunt is Hope Meeks who owns a restaurant called Southside Shellfish in Savannah, Georgia.
Meeks’ husband, Craig Meeks, is a Commercial Crabber.
Jeff Campbell Sr. said, “Let’s do it. If I can help you reach your dream and see it with my own eyes, it would be a blessing to me as well.”
Campbell Sr. helped his son start up his business financially for Legacy Seafood Market which began operation Nov. 4.
Jeff Campbell knows there is a need for fresh seafood here in Millbrook, Alabama. “I wanted to bring a little of my family’s legacy into Millbrook and into our community. I wanted to share the way we cook things, by sharing our family recipes. I do my own breading, my own seasoning, and my own homemade sauces. These recipes are family-owned recipes that I have known for a long time and I incorporate these recipes at the market,” he said.
There is a lot of family inspiration in cooking and preparing good food.
“My grandmother, Carolyn Harper, worked at Carey Hillards BBQ/Seafood Place in Savannah, Georgia for many years,” said Campbell. Harper’s husband Bobby Harper was a Commercial Crabber. Bobby Harper helped Campbell’s uncles Craig Meeks and the late Albert Harper with the Commercial Crabbing business.
Campbell’s Mom, Carol Reynolds from Midway, Georgia, his sister Jessica Gates from Mississippi and his Aunt Hope came to help during the first week of business. They helped train the four employees of Legacy Seafood Market. Campbell’s wife, Sherry and Campbell’s Mother-in-Law, Wanda Thompson, work a few days a week as well.
Legacy Seafood Market offers fresh seafood that includes oysters, scallops, crab claws, whole fish, fish fillets, large shrimp, and jumbo shrimp. They have different plate options that include a seafood item, hush puppies, a side and either one or two sauces on the side. The market also has a low country boil, a medium country boil, and a large country boil. The country boil consists of shrimp, Conecuh sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob with seasoning either on the meal or on the side.
They offer alligator pork sausage, a captain’s platter, fried green tomatoes, onion rings, and fried boudin balls. Campbell’s favorite dish is the Oyster Sandwich which consists of sour dough bread, fried oysters, and tartar sauce. The sides consist of potato salad, cole slaw, fries, hushpuppies and corn nuggets. The sauces include homemade cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, creole mustard, ranch, homemade boom boom sauce, homemade garlic butter, and a homemade hot sauce blend.
Reporter’s Note: In this reporter’s first visit, I wanted to make sure I indulged in some fresh seafood. I decided on the shrimp plate which consisted of steamed shrimp (I requested it steamed), hushpuppies, and fries and the seasoning to be on the side. As soon as I tried the seasoning with the shrimp, the taste was absolutely amazing! The food was made to order, as well as it being genuinely fresh and hot. Their motto is, “fresh seafood, not fast food.”
They will cook anything in their fresh case for an additional $2 per pound over the market price. They will steam, boil, and fry the shrimp as well. There is no sit down area on the inside, but soon they will have tables outside of the restaurant for anyone wanting to sit down and eat. Door Dash is available for deliveries to your home.
For more information please go to their Facebook page and make sure you like and follow them at www.Facebook.com/legacyseafoodmarket.com. Check out their Instagram page at https://instagram.com/legacyseafood2021. PLEASE CALL IN ORDERS TO (334) 517- 6960. For any questions you can call the store or email Jeff Campbell (owner) at [email protected]
