For more than 30 years, The Box Seat Sports Restaurant has been a gathering place for the Jamestown and Sedgefield communities—a familiar spot for a casual meal, a game on TV, and a sense of belonging. Brooks White, who now owns and operates The Box Seat, is focused on keeping that feeling alive.

“This is the dream my wife Christi built,” Brooks says. “She gave everything to this place, and I’m just trying to keep it going for her, for our family, and for the people who have always walked through our doors. They’re not just customers. They’re family.”

Brooks and Christi were high school sweethearts who married in 1992. While Brooks worked in construction, Christi followed her passion for hospitality and opened The Box Seat in 1995. Over the years, she built a loyal following with her commitment to quality food, service, and community.

“She had such a serving spirit,” Brooks says. “She worked day and night, and she still made time to be a great mom. We adopted our sons in 2001, and she balanced it all so beautifully. She supported youth programs, showed up for people, and never stopped loving this place or the people in it.”

After a decade-long battle with lung disease, Christi passed away in 2023. Though she once told Brooks to “close the doors and drink it dry” if she was gone, he decided instead to honor her work by keeping The Box Seat open. “This restaurant is what she gave to the community. I couldn’t just walk away from that.”

The Box Seat has grown far beyond its original Bar & Grill roots. Today, it’s a full-service sports restaurant with a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, 25 TVs, and a wide selection of beer on tap. The menu is extensive, offering everything from signature wings and quesadillas to hand-pattied burgers, sandwiches, salads, and even platters like hamburger steak and pulled pork.

A longtime staple of the restaurant is its commitment to fresh, local ingredients. “We try to source from local farmers' markets whenever we can,” Brooks says. “We’re not trying to compete with chains. We just want to make good food, serve people well, and be a place folks want to come back to.”

The Box Seat also offers a takeout menu for those on the go, and their catering arm—Above & Beyond Catering—continues to serve events across the area. Whether dining in, picking up dinner, or planning a party, the staff prides themselves on consistency and care.

“Our chef has been in the kitchen here for over 20 years,” Brooks shares. “A lot of our staff have been with us for a long time. That says something. We’re a team that really cares about what we’re doing.”

The Box Seat also holds weekly events like Music Bingo on Thursday nights and offers discounts to military members, EMS, police officers, and firefighters as a small way of giving back.

Since Christi’s passing, Brooks has leaned on the support of family and friends to keep the business moving forward. He recently married Tracy Cameron, who helps manage daily operations, and brought in his sister-in-law, Mandi Gross, as General Manager.

“I’ve been in construction most of my life,” Brooks says. “Running a restaurant wasn’t my plan, but Christi believed in this place and I believe in her. We’ve got 20 to 25 families who rely on us, and I’m going to do everything I can to keep it going.”

Brooks understands that change can be hard, especially for a place so tied to personal memories. “Some people have been coming here for decades. We know it’s more than just a restaurant—it’s where people watched their kids grow up, celebrated birthdays, came after ball games. That’s why it matters so much to keep it going.”

Despite the challenges facing small restaurants, Brooks remains focused on staying connected to the community and holding on to the spirit that Christi brought to The Box Seat.

“We’re living in a corporate world, but we ain’t corporate. We love this place and we love the people. That’s what Christi would’ve wanted—for this to always feel like home.”