COVINGTON, Ga. - The Town House Café has been open since 1964 in the same location just off the Square. and in those 55 years, the restaurant has looked fairly consistent.

That familiar façade has welcomed countless patrons into the eatery’s friendly environs and has even appeared in numerous movies, such as Tyler Perry’s “The Family That Preys,” as a symbol of good, old-fashioned Southern cuisine.

Now that look is getting a bit of an update.

Cedrick Hamm, the third generation of his family to oversee the eatery, said the plan is to keep the café looking just like it is supposed to.

“We’re refreshing the front,” he said in describing the recent work on the eatery’s exterior. “It needed attention, especially the awning.”

Sadly, the old awning - which has overhung the entrance for years - was too worn out to simply repair, necessitating a full change. Hamm promised the new awning would have a similar look to the traditional approach it’s always used.

“We’re switching out for a new awning because it was to the point where we just couldn’t repair it anymore,” he said. “But it still looks old-fashioned, close to the same as we’ve always had.”

Changing out the windows won’t make much of a visual difference, but Hamm said it was much needed. Meanwhile, the vintage Coca-Cola sign on the front would remain in its usual place.

Finally, the entire façade would get a new coat of paint to complete the refresh and make sure the café looked ready to go another half-century.

“I’m trying to keep it all just the same as possible,” Hamm said.

The work should hopefully be done as soon as possible, with the café open throughout the process.

“We’re doing as much of the work as we can after hours,” Hamm said. “They could be done as early as Friday, depending on the weather. No matter what though, I’m trying to get it all done before the Lighting of the Square.”

When the lights go up, the Town House Café will look much as it always does, if maybe just a bit refreshed.

The Town House Café is located at 1145 Washington St. SW in downtown Covington.