People Make the Place: Faces of Martin County is a storytelling series highlighting a few of the people who help shape the character of our community. Through their experiences, work, and connections to Martin County, each feature offers a closer look at the people behind the places that make this area feel like home.

Our next feature is Stephanie Manning, owner of Georgia Dean’s Restaurant & Bar. A Martin County native, Stephanie opened Georgia Dean’s with a desire to invest her skills and experiences back into the community that helped shape her. What began as a commitment to her hometown has grown into a gathering place where locals and visitors alike come together to connect, celebrate, and create lasting memories.

Read more from Stephanie below as she shares what inspired her to open Georgia Dean’s, the role the restaurant plays in the community, and why Martin County continues to hold a special place in her heart.

“What inspired you to create a space like Georgia Dean’s here in Martin County, and what does it mean to serve this community?”

I was inspired to open Georgia Deans because I wanted to make a lasting impact on a place where it mattered most. My hometown, my grandparents, this community & special place is where I learned my values & resilience. I wanted to invest my skills and experiences back into the area that helped shape me. Instead of taking those jobs & opportunities elsewhere, I wanted to invest them in my community.

“How has Georgia Dean’s become a place for people to come together in the community?”

Georgia Deans restaurant & bar has become a well known spot where the locals & visitors come together. It’s more than just a business. It’s a place where everyone feels connected.

Important life long relationships have been built between my staff & customers. It’s a place for families to gather, coworkers to meet after work, solo diners to feel welcome & local organizations to host events upstairs & at our sister business, Roanoke Country Club.

Everyday moments have over time turned this restaurant into part of this community’s story.

“What do you think makes Martin County such a meaningful place to be part of?”

Martin County is such a meaningful place for many reasons. To name a few—the generations of families that makeup our county, its agricultural heritage, the Roanoke River & wetlands, & our distinct eastern North Carolina culture.

This place still feels “connected,” to land, family & history in a special way that faster growing areas no longer do.