Ronnie Brown wants to revitalize Augusta's Laney-Walker Historic District one plate at a time.

At Ma Fannie's Kitchen, 1117 Laney-Walker Blvd., he has been serving up Southern cooking since mid-March.

Mr. Brown named the restaurant after his late mother, Fannie Wilson Brown, whose recipes inspired the food for his first full-service restaurant business.

"I grew up in my mother's kitchen. I started cooking when I was 12, and I fell in love with it," he said. "I've been doing it ever since."

Some of the restaurant's featured dishes are fried chicken, ox tails, turkey wings, and collard and turnip greens.

Mr. Brown also owns Ronlyn Corp. on Laney-Walker Boulevard, a food service contractor serving military and government programs. It has been operating for 30 years.

"We were part of the early revitalization of Laney-Walker, and we will continue to invest in it," he said.

Mr. Brown grew up on Augusta Avenue in the Laney-Walker district with his 11 siblings. He said he wanted to give back to his neighborhood.

His restaurant is located at the former site of BL's Restaurant, which was owned by former state Sen. Charles Walker.

In Ma Fannie's Kitchen, a picture of "Ma Fannie" hangs on the wall at the front entrance. Pictures of pivotal moments in the district's history also line the walls.

The newly renovated dining room seats 150. There's also a 40-seat private dining room.

The restaurant is open Sundays through Fridays at lunchtime, closing in the late afternoon. Mr. Brown hopes to extend the restaurant's hours by mid-August.

The business also offers catering services for special events. It has 20 employees and is recruiting additional nighttime staff.

In the near future, Mr. Brown also aims to add a piano player to perform gospel music on Sundays and provide jazz at night.

Business is "headed in the right direction," Mr. Brown said, and he hopes to be profitable within one year.

"It's been an honor to open this establishment in honor of my mother," Mr. Brown said. "Hopefully after one year, we'll open a location in south Augusta."