Community Is The Heart Of Mary's

As you can tell by now, Mary's Of Course is all about community. In our case, that means our fair city, our customers, long-distance supporters, employees and fellow businesses with a similar mission. This page is here for the express purpose of encouraging you to explore other sectors of our community of like minded friends.

Over the years Mary's has employed a number of the residents of the Werehouse here in Winston-Salem, and we hope that if you aren't aware of what they have going on over there, you will at least visit their Coffee Bar and Roasting Company online. After all; we get our favorite beans from them...coffee beans that is.

Another wonderful organization and like minded business, are our friends out in Julian, NC at Homeland Creamery. They have a healthy head of cattle that provides us with a number of our dairy products; all hormone free.

Though the restaurant keeps Mary quite busy, when she has time for entertainment, two of her favorite spots are The Werehouse, run for the past dozen years by a group of guys who've been together since highschool, and The Garage; run by a husband and wife team for slightly longer than Mary's has been around. Both places are fine spots for a variety of events that can be found on their monthly online calenders.

If you're looking for even more homemade gifts than the small selection Mary is able to squeeze in by the counter, we have two beautiful suggestions who sell year round (though the Christmas season is one of our favorite times to visit); Earthbound Arts right here in Winston-Salem and Sadies Herbal Garden in Stokesdale, NC. Each place is independently run and packed with handmade soaps, trinkets, lotions, candles, incense, hand-blended teas, and more fine things than we have room to mention here.

One of Mary's best friends Starr Johnson, had to close her wonderful restaurant in Mocksville. She has plans to move to Winston-Salem, as soon as she's taken a much needed break. Since a large percentage of her customers were driving from here to eat there anyway; it only makes more sense for her to be in Winston. Thank goodness she stayed open long enough to host our wedding reception! We can't wait for her to be here in town with Mary's Of Course. You can keep tabs on any new developments by visiting: Starr's New Southern Cuisine.

Undoubtedly the best Middle Eastern lunch in the area is across from UNC-Greensboro in an old 1950's service station. The kind of place that if located in Nebraska or Wisconsin, would be on the National Historic register, but here gets turned into a mom & pop Mediterranean Deli. Jack's Corner has been reviewed a number of times in Greensboro, but we feel it's so good the word should spread outside it's collegiate neighborhood. Mary has found their winning combination of Middle Eastern and Greek cuisines quite delicious. There are two or three platters on the menu that feature a half-dozen different specialties for one low price, and as far as we're concerned, with these you can't go wrong. It would be a travesty for us not to mention their marvelous handmade desserts, which are mainly in the cookie category. If you're near Jack's take a moment and enjoy yourself! (By the way, this picture isn't Jack's but it looks nearly identical, so it will have to do until we snap our own.)

We'd also like to recommend the most creative and authentic family-run Mexican eatery in Winston (yes, we're biased); La Botana on Hanes Mall Boulevard. Rigo, his family and his crack staff will do you right, whether you like authentic tacos, chicken soup or pistachio mole! Well, it's been about 3 months and Rigo has yet more surprises on his menu that can't be denied! The lunch menu now has a half-dozen brunch items featuring huevos! Here's Albert cracking us up while ringing us up.

Sampan Chinese Restaurant has been here in Winston for a dozen years and we love to have a relaxing dinner from the Extended Authentic menu accompanied by a massive pot of hot tea (or two). There are any number of seaweed, soup or wonton appetizers to try, but we usually go straight for Eggplant with garlic sauce, Portugese Tofu or the always comforting Chicken Wonton soup; just like your imaginary Chinese grandmother made for you! As opposed to the endless chain of "Chow Mien" houses with identical menus and atmosphere, Sampan is lowkey and homey; especially if you get to know the friendly owner.

Finally (for now at least), we recently discovered Turmeric, and found ourselves getting a "food high" from the appetizers before the entree's even hit the table! Every major style; North, East, Central, West & Southern is covered. For those who enjoy exploring Indian fare; this is the place for you!

Of course, we have dedicated an entire page of our site to Clark Whittington's Art-O-Mat, because he has been a supporter of our location longer than we've even been here! That, and he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and by our estimation; the most successful entrepreneur artists we know.

And last, but not least, Mary's brother Scott has an online business selling body jewelry, accessories and other oddities. If you like skulls, decorate your body at Hotstuff!