- It's been nearly three months since the reopening of the restaurant in late April of this year.
- A $213,000 grant from the city's Community Redevelopment Agency was given to the restaurant--and the renovation took longer than expected.
- Watch the video above to hear from the Co-owner of Earley's Kitchen about the keys to staying open, and what patrons think of the establishment.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
"I love it! It's good. I love the renovations; I love everything about it."
Ebony Trotman is a Southwest neighbor. I caught up with her and others as they were having lunch at Earley's Kitchen Friday afternoon.
Earley's is well-known in Southwest Tallahassee, for its soul food signature meals and breakfast.
For Trotman, who happens to be a regular, came for one thing!
"Liver and onions!"
But for many customers like Trotman, their enjoyment was put on pause.
Earley's Kitchen closed in February of 2023, due to major renovations taking place. Renovations that include a new spacious outdoor eating area.
I looked at the numbers. A $213,000 grant from the city's Community Redevelopment Agency was given to the restaurant--and the renovation took longer than expected.
I asked neighbors like Trotman if their absence was felt in the community.
"It was for me!"
Now, it's been nearly three months since the reopening of the restaurant in late April of this year.
I got to speak with the Co-Owner of Earley's Kitchen, Jay Morrell, about the key to staying open in this neighborhood.
"We just hustle. I'm a Hustler, Anita's a hustler; we feel like a good service, a good product at a good price… folks will come."
Morrell says the keys to staying open is also more than the products… it's also the relationships with the customers.
"I enjoy people. I'm not so high and mighty that you can't reach me!"
And for customers like Trotman, she says relationships are great, but what keeps her business coming back— is her one thing.
"They are the only restaurant that does liver and onions."
