Honest Abe’s is a fascinating place.  In fact, whenever we initially visited I almost forgot to check it out for accessibility because I got so distracted with…everything else.  And could you really expect anything less from a shop that sells donuts and tamales (AND po’ boys)?  It is conveniently located and has a drive through ideal for those early morning fixes, but if you have time and want to be entertained you should dine in.  (Exception:  People who are appalled by taxidermy should most definitely not dine in.)

The section below documents the various eccentric adornments at Honest Abe’s.  If you are reading this only for accessibility at Honest Abe’s, you may want to scroll down a ways.

And yes, this was taken from inside what used to be the Rebel Barn.  I wonder if the (original) Greenwood shop has the same ambiance…anybody know?

ASIDE:  Because I had wondered about the legality of killing elephants nowadays, I did a little research and found, as you can imagine, conflicting views about trophy hunting.  Sites like this one insist that elephant hunting is legal (in African countries where the elephant population is stabilized) and ethical, especially after ivory poaching legislation was passed in the ’80s and overpopulation and deforestation due to the elephants’ massive appetites  are now legitimate concerns.  The opposing view seems to be that trophy hunting is inhumane and could pose a threat to the elephant population eventually.  I am not exactly sure what to think, but then again I don’t really get the desire to big game hunt very often.

Getting down to business,  Honest Abe’s couldn’t have done a better job with accessibility.  Parking is fine, the ramp at the entrance is not too steep, the place itself is really roomy and even the tables and counter are at a good height for anyone.  No carpet.  In the shot of the bathroom shown below, you can see how there are transfer bars, plenty of room for maneuvering, and even a recess underneath the sink that makes it easy for people in wheelchairs (or those with big feet) to scoot in close.

I want to point out too that the paper towel holder is at a fairly high height, but since it’s the pull down style, it’s easy for practically anyone.

Whether it was luck or great attention to detail and thoughtful consideration,  Honest Abe’s gets 2 thumbs up for accessibility.  And actually, on my second visit here I asked one of the employees how they had gone about making things accessible since I figured it couldn’t have been just luck at play.  He mentioned that a family member who worked in the health care profession consulted with them about making Abe’s accessible.  So for all you business owners who are planning to renovate or start front scratch, there are always people around who are willing to give you (often free) advice on how to make your business more welcoming.

Incidentally, their donuts and tamales are dang tasty too, although speaking from previous experience I wouldn’t recommend sampling from their entire menu in one sitting unless you want to be incapacitated for the rest of the day.

And finally, on May 15th, NMissCommentor posted a blog asking what  Honest Abe is doing at Rebel Barn.  Jim didn’t get the chance to post his own review for Honest Abe’s on this blog, but commented on the NMissCommentor post, and here’s what he had to say:

May 15th, 2009 at 9:51 am

Hey Tom, Glad to see this here. We went last Saturday and I’d begun to write it up on my blog for it’s excellent accessibility. I chose to wait though because I’d forgotten my camera and it was just too much to not include shots of Abe and all of his animal cadavers that make up the interior decor. I still plan to do it.I thought the tamales were good, but as you know that’s the opinion of a recovering Floridian. And truth be told, I’ve never had a tamale before. So, yeah. The doughnuts are delightful. Coffee is average.