Mitri Shatara has been running his father's restaurant for the past few months. Photo by Ian KeelTamara Imam - Managing Editormanaging@insideuab.com
After almost 30 years of serving UAB and the Southside of Birmingham, local favorite Fat Sam’s Sub Station is closing its doors for good on Saturday, Oct. 15.
For the past fewmonths, Shatara’s eldest son, Mitri, a current full-time history student at UAB set to graduate in the spring, has been running the restaurant with the help of his longtime employees since the passing of his father and beloved owner Salman Shatara in May due to complications following a car accident.
The story of Fat Sam’s goes back 26 years ago when Salman “Fat Sam” Shatara first moved from San Francisco to Birmingham in March of 1990. S. Shatara bought what used to be “Bob’s,” according to Mitri Shatara, and opened what would quickly become an iconic Southside eatery and staple of the UAB community. Over time, the deli became littered with sports memorabilia from the early days of UAB Athletics. Dragon-themed items, such as the Dragon’s Belly and Dragon’s Delight, eventually made their way to the menu.
“Over time he fell in love with the community and the people and the school and the sports. He always said Gene Bartow is who got him into UAB sports,” M. Shatara said.
For M. Shatara, when it came to whether or not to stay in business, it was ultimately a lack of time that solidified the difficult decision.
“It was just a decision that had to be made. You know, at the end of the day — my family was involved in the decision — but at the end of the day, it was mine. I don’t have the time to invest into this restaurant anymore,” M. Shatara said. “I’ve been doing it for seven months, I’m a full-time student and I also have a career that I’m working on and I don’t have time for this restaurant.”
While M. Shatara says people have pushed him to sell his father’s famed restaurant, he remains firm in his decision not to do so.
“Some people have been asking me if I’ll sell, what I want to do, why I won’t sell, yes,” M. Shatara said. “I don’t care about the money. It’s my father’s legacy; I don’t want anyone else to ruin it.”
For lovers of Fat Sam’s, their devotion goes beyond adoration for just the restaurant and its acclaimed Dragon’s Belly sandwiches; to many, Salman Shatara himself was an invaluable member of the Birmingham and UAB communities.
“We love Sam, and miss his talks when we go into the restaurant. He loved the Blazers and we mourn his loss still,“ UAB sports fan Sharon McGinnis Stump said.
Ralph Harbison, an alumnus of UAB, recalled many meals eaten at Fat Sam’s as a student while Salman Shatara was working there.
“I first had Fat Sam’s in 1991, my first year at UAB,” Harbison said. “We used to walk over from the Honor’s House. The place was a little different back then. The counter wasn’t as close to the door. Sam sat on a stool when he wasn’t taking orders, in the corner, and dropped fries, talking to everyone. His mom was often there, too. I tried everything on the menu once through the years, but I was partial to the Philly cheese steak.”
Harbison also recalled a moment that he feels embodies Salman Shatara’s personality.
“One night, I was in a wreck in front of the BEC. Sam was leaving work and saw the cars, and he pulled over and check on everyone, staying with me for a while. In 2015, after football had been ended, I went by for old time’s sake. Sam recognized me after all those years. The food was always good, and there was always more than you should eat (but we always ate it all).”
To Harbison, Salman Shatara was “the epitome of the UAB family.”
“He loved the school and those of us who were there,” he said.
Community support hasn’t slowed down since M. Shatara’s announcement on Oct. 4, as customers have made their way to Fat Sam’s in droves to savor the last bites.
“The response has been huge. We’ve stayed constantly busy since I announced on Tuesday,” he said.
Despite the restaurant’s final days approaching, he believes that his father’s memory will remain etched in Southside.
“His legacy is what it was,” M. Shatara said of his father. “People will remember Fat Sam’s and they’ll remember my dad, and that’s his legacy.”
Fat Sam’s will be open for business on Saturday, Oct. 15. M. Shatara hopes to have a band perform at the storefront to celebrate the last day of business.
