Today we’d like to introduce you to VonGretchen.
Hi VonGretchen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ten years ago, I started **Bessie’s Sweet Delights** with a passion for bringing people together through homemade desserts inspired by family recipes and the legacy of my grandmother, Angeline “Bessie” Nelson. What began as a dessert business quickly grew because of the incredible support from our community and our commitment to quality, hospitality, and making every customer feel like family.
As demand increased, my husband, Tyrus, and I expanded the business by launching **Bessie’s Bites and Sweet Delights**, a food truck that allowed us to serve not only our signature desserts but also homestyle meals at festivals, corporate events, farmers markets, and private catering throughout the Midlands. That experience taught us how to build a loyal customer base, adapt to new opportunities, and grow our brand while staying true to our roots.
Those experiences naturally led us to our biggest milestone yet—opening **Bessie’s Burgers and More** on **November 30, 2025**. The restaurant is the next chapter in our journey, combining our love for comfort food with the desserts that started it all. Every burger, sandwich, side, and dessert reflects our family’s commitment to serving fresh, flavorful food with genuine Southern hospitality.
Looking back, this journey has never been just about opening businesses—it’s been about honoring my grandmother’s legacy, creating opportunities for others, and building a place where people can gather, enjoy great food, and feel at home. We are grateful for how far we’ve come, and we’re even more excited about what the future holds for Bessie’s Burgers and More.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but every challenge has helped shape who we are today. Like many small business owners, we’ve faced financial hurdles, long hours, staffing challenges, and the uncertainty that comes with growing a business. There were times when we had to wear every hat—owner, baker, cook, cashier, marketer, bookkeeper, and everything in between.
Transitioning from a dessert business to a food truck and eventually opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant brought a new set of challenges. Each stage required us to learn new skills, navigate regulations, invest in equipment, build the right team, and make difficult decisions. Opening a restaurant in today’s economy also meant dealing with rising food costs, supply chain issues, and finding employees who share our commitment to providing excellent customer service.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that setbacks don’t have to define your journey. They can become opportunities to grow, pivot, and improve. Through every obstacle, my husband and I have leaned on our faith, our family, and the incredible support of our customers and community. Their encouragement has kept us moving forward, even during the most difficult seasons.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change the journey because those challenges have made us stronger business owners and have given us a deeper appreciation for every milestone we’ve achieved. They continue to remind us why we started—to honor my grandmother’s legacy by serving great food, creating meaningful connections, and making a positive impact in our community.
As you know, we’re big fans of Bessie’s Burgers and More, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
**Bessie’s Burgers and More** is more than a restaurant—it’s the culmination of a dream that has been years in the making. Built on the foundation of **Bessie’s Sweet Delights** and **Bessie’s Bites and Sweet Delights**, our restaurant brings together everything we’ve learned over the past decade about serving great food and creating meaningful experiences for our guests.
We specialize in fresh, made-to-order burgers, specialty wings, loaded all beef hotdogs, and comforting Southern-inspired favorites, along with the homemade desserts that first introduced our community to the Bessie’s name. Whether guests are stopping in for a quick lunch, dinner with family, or catering for a special event, our goal is always the same—to serve delicious food with genuine hospitality.
What sets us apart is that we’re a true family-owned and operated business. Every recipe, every interaction, and every decision reflects our values of faith, family, and community. We don’t just want people to enjoy a meal—we want them to feel welcomed, appreciated, and at home from the moment they walk through our doors.
One of the things I’m most proud of is that our brand has grown organically through relationships and trust. Many of our customers have supported us since our dessert business began ten years ago, followed us to our food truck, and now dine with us at the restaurant. That kind of loyalty is something we never take for granted.
Our brand is about honoring the legacy of my grandmother, Angeline “Bessie” Nelson, whose love for bringing people together continues to inspire everything we do. Every meal we serve carries a piece of that legacy. As we continue to grow, our mission remains simple: to provide exceptional food, outstanding service, and a welcoming atmosphere where every customer feels like family.
We also believe that our responsibility extends beyond serving great food. We are committed to investing in our community by creating jobs, mentoring young people entering the workforce, supporting local events and organizations, and using our business as a platform to make a positive impact. Success for us isn’t measured only by what’s on the plate—it’s measured by the relationships we build and the difference we make in the lives of the people we serve.
How do you think about luck?
To be honest, I’ve never really believed in luck. As a Christian, I believe that God’s hand has been guiding my life and this business from the very beginning. That doesn’t mean the journey has been easy or that we’ve been spared challenges. We’ve experienced setbacks, disappointments, financial pressures, and moments where we weren’t sure what the next step would be. But through every season, I’ve seen God’s faithfulness.
There have been opportunities that came at just the right time, doors that opened when it seemed impossible, and relationships that I believe were divinely placed in our path. Some people might call those moments “good luck,” but I see them as God’s provision and His perfect timing. Likewise, what may have looked like “bad luck” at the time often became a lesson or a redirection that ultimately led us somewhere better.
My faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of everything I do. It influences how I lead, how I treat our employees, how we serve our customers, and how we make decisions as a business. Success, to me, isn’t just measured by sales or growth—it’s measured by whether we’re honoring God, serving people with excellence, and being faithful stewards of the opportunities He’s entrusted to us.
I’m grateful that Bessie’s Burgers and More is more than a restaurant. It’s an opportunity to live out our faith by loving people well, creating a welcoming place for our community, and honoring the legacy of my grandmother through service, generosity, and hospitality. Every milestone we’ve reached is a reminder that God has been faithful, and I trust Him with whatever comes next.
Pricing:
- Kid’s meals are $7-10
- Singles and Sides starts at $4
- Handcrafted Smashburgers starts at $13
Contact Info:
- Instagram: bessiesburgersandmore
- Facebook: Bessie’sBurgersandmore
