Regional catering business finds new home at Warrior Creek Mercantile

SYLVESTER — When Lee County resident Hannah Marchbanks launched a small catering business from a 300-square-foot kitchen in Smithville in late 2021, she wasn’t pursuing a carefully crafted business plan.

She was answering a prayer.

For months, Marchbanks said she had been asking God for an opportunity to serve others.

“I just kept praying, ‘God, use me as a servant,'” she recalled. “I didn’t care what it was. I just wanted to be used to help people.”

At Thanksgiving that year, an idea took root. Friends and family had long encouraged her to sell the meals she regularly prepared for gatherings, church events and community functions. Though hesitant at first, but encouraged by her husband, she decided to take a leap of faith.

She set a goal for herself and gave the business until her February birthday to prove it could succeed.

Instead, it exceeded her expectations within weeks.

What began as a modest catering operation quickly gained momentum. The business outgrew its original kitchen within months and eventually expanded throughout Lee County as demand continued to grow.

From Smithville, Marchbanks moved into a larger commercial kitchen in a leased restaurant space along U.S. Highway 19 in Leesburg, where Grace’s Cafe & Catering continued to expand its reach across southwest Georgia. Today, the company serves customers throughout the region and caters events as far away as Jacksonville, Fla., and Dahlonega.

The larger space gave the family an opportunity to experiment with ideas for a future cafe concept while continuing to grow the catering business. Along the way, Marchbanks said she learned valuable lessons and built a loyal community of customers and supporters.

Those relationships also revealed opportunities to serve families facing hardship, illness or loss.

For Marchbanks, success has never been measured solely by growth. The purpose behind the business is reflected in its name.

“One thing people always ask is where the name ‘Grace’ comes from,” Marchbanks said. “The name represents the Grace of God. Without the grace He has shown me throughout the years, I would not be where I am today or have been able to provide for my family through this business.”

She said she wanted the company to stand for something larger than food.

“I wanted this business to be more than just food,” she said. “I wanted it to be a daily reminder of how wonderful God is and how faithful He has been through every season of life.”

That philosophy remains woven into every aspect of the business.

Throughout the year, Grace’s donates meals to families experiencing hardship, provides food to local ministries and shelters, and looks for opportunities to support people facing difficult circumstances. This summer alone, Marchbanks said she hopes to provide meals to more than 20 families in need.

“We’ve been blessed, so we want to bless other people,” she said.

For Marchbanks, growth itself is not the goal.

“Our goal is always to grow more so we can give back more,” she said. “That’s really my underlying goal — to be able to serve others in everything we do.”

Earlier this year, Marchbanks took another significant step toward that goal by opening Grace’s Cafe & Catering inside Warrior Creek Marketplace in Sylvester.

The move allowed her to finally pursue a vision she had carried from the beginning: creating a cafe and bakery alongside her thriving catering operation.

“My dream was always a cafe and bakery,” she said. “We just weren’t in a position to do it before.”

The new location offers sandwiches, salads, baked goods and grab-and-go items while serving as a destination for visitors traveling through the area.

“We want it to be somewhere people come not just to eat, but to enjoy being here,” she said.

The cafe is continuing to expand its offerings, with breakfast service next on the checklist.

“We’re going to be open for breakfast soon,” Marchbanks said. “Once we’re open for breakfast, we’ll be serving breakfast and lunch starting at 6:30 a.m., and we’re hoping to meet more members of the community that way, too.”

While the cafe is a new chapter, catering remains the backbone of the business. Grace’s is expected to cater approximately 75 weddings this year, surpassing last year’s total of 63.

The family-centered nature of the business is evident throughout the cafe.

Marchbanks’ mother, Carole Sholar, oversees her own enterprise, The Flour Market, within the cafe. The Flour Market produces the specialty baked goods sold alongside the cafe menu. A retired educator, Sholar never envisioned herself running a bakery, but she embraced the challenge after joining her daughter in the venture.

“I’ve always liked a challenge,” Sholar said.

Many of the bakery’s most popular offerings were developed through experimentation and years of family cooking traditions. Homemade oatmeal cream pies have become an unexpected customer favorite, while Sholar’s signature “Kissing Cousins” chicken salad and cheese spread have developed loyal followings among customers.

The partnership is the latest chapter in a long history of working together. Mother and daughter previously operated a boutique and have collaborated on numerous projects over the years.

The business has also become a family affair for Marchbanks’ children, who help when needed and have grown up witnessing the realities of entrepreneurship firsthand.

“I want them to see what it takes to build something,” Marchbanks said. “Maybe one day they’ll take it over.”

Building that future has required long hours, persistence and a willingness to take risks. Marchbanks credits much of the company’s growth to customer service, consistency and relentless marketing efforts.

“This is our livelihood,” she said. “You can’t just wait for business to come to you.”

Hours spent managing social media, networking with brides and maintaining relationships with customers have become just as important as time spent in the kitchen. Yet despite the rapid expansion, Marchbanks remains focused on the values that inspired the business from the beginning.

“Every meal we serve, every wedding we cater, every customer who walks through our doors is something we are truly thankful for,” she said. “Grace’s Cafe & Catering was built with faith, hard work and a heart for serving others.”

Looking around the bustling cafe she now calls home, Marchbanks sees more than a successful business. She sees answered prayers.

And for her, the opportunity to continue serving others remains the greatest blessing of all.