A local treasure will be featured on national television Wednesday night on a show where long beards and family values get all the laughs.

Members of the Duck Dynasty crew visits The Tomato Place, 3229 U.S. 61 S., on the next episode of the television show airing at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday on A&E.

About a month before the cast and crew showed up at the restaurant in July, owner Luke Hughes received a call letting him know they wanted to film in his establishment. He wasn’t prepared for the number of people and the amount of equipment they set up inside.

“It was quite an experience,” Hughes said. “I didn’t realize it would be anything like that.”

Hughes said he spent the day serving customers and didn’t watch much of the filming even though the place basically shut down for the production. Hughes chose to take a backseat and let friend and proclaimed public relations manager B.B. Evans take the limelight on television.

“I’m basically shy so I figure that’d be a good way to pay him back for all the things he has done to help me,” Hughes said.

In a 30-second clip posted online, Uncle Si, Jase, Godwin and Martin are seen taking a long lunch break to partake in a hot dog eating contest inside the produce stand’s café area.

Because of the popularity of the show, Hughes imagines the episode will impact his business, but he also thinks it will be positive for Vicksburg as a whole.

He hopes to see images from Vicksburg on the show, and he thinks it could encourage people to visit.

“I imagine they’ll at least show them crossing the bridge and coming into town,” Hughes said. “I’m hoping they will to bring a little attention to Vicksburg.”

Hughes has had produce stands on the side of the road for years, but he opened The Tomato Place in 2001. It has grown considerably over the years as more rooms were added and more food offered, including their all-natural fruit smoothies and the Mississippi Fever mild pepper sauce.

Before the idea became popular, the café’s menu was formed with a farm-to-plate theme that utilizes local produce.

“It quickly took on a life of its own,” Hughes said.

Hughes prides himself on the “old-timey” aspects to the produce stand with no scales, just selling by the basket, and all prices being rounded off by the dollar.

He said the look and feel of the place has many customers telling their grandchildren, “This is the way it used to be.”

“Nobody does it this way anymore,” Hughes said.

Hughes said he has loyal customers from all over the world who found him on the Mississippi Blues Trail and continue to order his sauce and regional customers who come back to town just for a meal.

“I tell everybody that comes in that they have to come at least four times to figure out what all we do have here,” Hughes said.

The place’s atmosphere is impacted by local artists and customers who have their work on display at the store.

By their second visit, customers are already considered friends or even family whom he works to accommodate.

“A lot of my customers and friends have a big influence on it, and I think that’s what makes The Tomato Place,” Hughes said.

The Tomato Place is open daily at 8 a.m. The market closes at dark, and the kitchen closes at 6 p.m.

“My motto is if somebody else is doing it, we don’t need to do it,” Hughes said. “We need to do everything from scratch, our ideas.”

To watch the show’s preview, go to The Tomato Place Facebook page or visit aetv.com.