While most businesses are open to comments from their customers, few take them as seriously as Court Square Café.

Patty Powell, of Highland Home, has managed the Greenville eatery for 15 years.

Powell says their menu changes every week.

“People will come in and tell me what they want to eat,” Powell said. “I’ll ask them ‘when do you want it?'”

With the exception of spaghetti Wednesdays and banana pudding Fridays, customers choose what they would like to see on the menu.

Even if this means making food Powell herself won’t eat.

“I like everything except for liver,” Powell said. “I’ll cook it for everyone that wants it, though.”

Powell said she’s been learning her way around the kitchen her entire life.

“Back in my day, we had to help our parents. We never got to sit around and do nothing,” Powell said. “This meant if momma was cooking, she needed us to help.”

Powell learned all her culinary skills from her mother and grandmother. After getting her first job at a small café, she said she knew foodservice was for her.

“I said then ‘I’d like to have a café of my own one day,” Powell said.

Her dream came true after working at Court Square for a little over a year. After the owner started suffering from health problems, Powell purchased the business.

Her favorite part of her job, she says, is the people.

“We don’t have customers, we have friends,” Powell said. “When someone doesn’t show up, we wonder about them. Everyone seems like family.”

Regulars make up the bulk of her business. However, Powell says they still see the occasional traveler.

“We even had someone from Paris not too long ago,” Powell said.

Owning a small business has its advantages, Powell said. She is her own boss, and doesn’t ever worry about upper management breathing down her neck.

The disadvantage: Powell is the first to arrive and the last to leave.

So when you stop in Court Square Café, Patty will be there waiting.