This and That – A Passing Gulfport Icon, Helen Cranford.

I saw in today’s fish wrapper that Helen Cranford passed away on August 7, 2014. Her obituary was short, as was she, but it did not begin to express what she once meant to downtown Gulfport.

Her café, Helen’s Café, was a local watering hole for the Gulfport breakfast and lunch crowd. It was located in the Abstract Building and sported a black-and-white checkered floor, a jumbo space heater suspended from the ceiling, tables and chairs, booths, a lunch counter with stools, and postcards—lots of postcards! When her customers went on holiday, they sent her a colorful postcard to adorn the café’s walls. I enjoyed looking at them, as I enjoyed the food that was served!

My favorite day to eat lunch at Helen’s Café was Friday—fried chicken day! At lunchtime, lawyers, judges, law clerks, businessmen, reporters, and the like jostled for a seat. I often wondered how many court decisions were decided over fried chicken, turnip greens, and sweet tea at Helen’s Café. The breakfast crowd even had their own coffee mugs, which were kept safe in a wall shelf filled with little cubby holes.
    

Miss Helen, with her effervescent smile and captivating blue eyes, was the heart and soul of the café. Her passing marked the end of an era, a poignant reminder of the changing times. With the closure of the café, one of the last remnants of the old-time downtown cafes faded away. And now, with Miss Helen’s departure, Gulfport mourns the loss of one of its most cherished icons.

Later ‘Gaters!

(Originally published August 24, 2014)