EXETER – The secret ingredient behind Hometown Emporium’s success has made it to the screen.
America’s Best Restaurants (ABR), a national media and marketing company, filmed an episode at Hometown Emporium on Sept. 9 as part of its ABR Roadshow, a series that spotlights independently owned restaurants across the country. ABR filmed the episode the same week as the restaurant’s 30th anniversary party, scheduled a few days later on Sept. 12.
“Exeter made Hometown Emporium possible … you helped keep a small hometown business going, and I have never forgotten that,” said owner Kristy McGill at the 30th anniversary celebration.
ABR producer Doug Smith said the company was drawn to Hometown Emporium because of McGill’s desire to give back to the community. According to McGill, Hometown Emporium has given back more than $300,000 to the Exeter community during its 30 years of operation.
“I do a lot for the museum. I work with the memorial building a lot, with veterans, doing dinners. I do a lot for the school and for some of their youth groups, donating stuff,” McGill said in an interview with The Sun-Gazette.
Smith said this is ABR’s first time in Exeter, noting that the closest they have filmed is Three Rivers and Bakersfield. ABR has filmed more than 3,000 episodes in 48 states in the last five years since the initiative was started.
The crew came to interview both McGill and customers of the restaurant to capture the day-to-day impact Hometown Emporium has. Then the crew takes the cameras to the kitchen to see the cooks and workers.
Dining and Cooking