Profits from Hot and Juicy to benefit teen center

By Greg Miller
STAR STAFF
gmiller@starhq.com

   Hot and Juicy, 411 Forest St., Watauga, has reopened with Doyle and Cindy Puckett as the co-owners.
   Profits from the venture, according to Doyle Puckett, will be used to help fund the Fellowship Community Church's Teen Center. The Pucketts are members of the church.
   "Doyle came to me and said he had a burden for the young people," said the Rev. Ken Hauser, the church's pastor. "He wants to take them on trips and activities, and a lot of the children who are a part of the youth group can't afford to pay. We don't want to exclude any of them because of money."
   The group recently attended a Christmas play in Pennsylvania's Amish country, a trip which cost about $3,300. Another group traveled to the Grand Canyon and to an Indian Reservation in Grants, N.M. That trip cost about $8,200. None of the children paid their own way.
   "The teen center," Puckett pointed out, "is open to all area young people, not only those who attend the meetings. Some of the profits from the restaurant will go to feed them on Friday nights." Sometimes, those who attend the meeting will be treated to pizza. At other times, they will have a full meal. Puckett noted that the youth group is meeting from 6-8 p.m. during the winter. Summer hours will be from 6-9 p.m.
   Hot and Juicy offers daily specials. The restaurant has a variety of biscuit sandwiches for breakfast. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, soup beans and cornbread muffins, baked potatoes, French fries and a variety of sandwiches are included on the lunchtime menu.
   Robin Humphrey is the cook at Hot and Juicy, which has a drive-thru. Jennifer Hauser is the waitress. Several of the church's members volunteer as dishwashers, waitresses and delivery personnel. The restaurant will deliver to local factories, businesses, etc.
   The restaurant, which has a capacity of 16 people, will deliver to Elizabethton, Johnson City, Hampton and Hunter.
   Hot and Juicy recently expanded its hours and planned to hire an additional waitress and another cook.
   Hot and Juicy is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. For more information, call 928-8825.