On October 18, 2023 I was having an emotional moment, really missing my grandmother who had passed away in 2016. I always get emotional on her birthday and death anniversary, but this year was different. I started having the urge to do something to honor her memory and legacy, but I had no clue what that could be. A few days later, God gave me the vision of a restaurant. Since my grandma was known for her food, especially her gumbo, this made sense. But, like most things that God shows us, it was only a glimpse. I had no idea how to start.

After a few months of wrestling with the idea, I decided to put some action behind it. In early 2024, I formed my LLC and wrote my business plan. I even did a pop up tasting, which had neutral success. I was pressing toward the mark. However, later that year I was fired. This abruptly halted all the plans I’d made regarding the business. I was out of work for almost a year before I found gainful employment, but the vision never left.

Fun Fact- having faith and trusting God can be extremely difficult when the world around you is seemingly in disarray. But all things work together for your highest good. This journey has been nothing short of a true test of my faith. It has also been humbling and eye- opening to the power of love.

Thankfully, God sends us signs and messages, generally through someone else to help reassure us of that fact. In this instance, my best friends were those people. So, I began working on getting my business up and running, again. But because of the sudden termination and lengthy period without work, my credit cards were maxed out; my savings was drained; and my credit was ruined.

Despite all these challenges, though, things kept aligning for the business. We received a few cash gifts- Glory to God and I pray he blesses those who gave 10x over. People have also donated their knowledge, time, and expertise. And what started as my vision to honor my grandma has become a collective project rooted in love and centered on community.

We are only a few weeks away from our grand opening (October 18th- my grandma’s birthday), but we still need additional capital. I am humbly asking for donations to help push the vision forward.

I thank you infinitely for any contributions that you are able to make and I pray for your continued success, achievement, and growth.

With Love and Gratitude,

Rob

**No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.**