NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The owners of a new restaurant hope to use their business to brighten the futures of former inmates by giving them a second chance.
Beneath months of grime and dust at the old Harper’s Restaurant on Jefferson St. is a dream.
“It’s open to everybody!” said Tynisha McClain, while disinfecting the tables.
The dream is a restaurant with a soul to go along with its modern twist on soul food.
“The atmosphere will be conducive to family, it will be conducive to friends,” said Pastor Howard Jones of the Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church.
Jones says the new Kingdom Cafe at Harper's will be a place for ministry. He hopes it revitalizes the Jefferson Street he remembers.
“I grew up in this community and there was a time when there was life here!” he exclaimed.
Maybe most importantly it will be a place for job training: a 9-week program for people interested in the service industry. The training will be geared toward folks out of prison who can find it difficult to get their second chance, primarily non-violent offenders.
“Everybody needs a second chance,” McClain said, excited about the church’s new project, which will partner with local groups like Project Return to reach out to former inmates.
“The reality is these individuals have paid their price, done their time and are in our city amongst us,” said Project Return Business Development Director Darrell Hawks, “it benefits none of us if they aren't given a chance at employment but all of us if they are.”
Church staff said they closed on the property at the old Harper's Restaurant two weeks ago. And Paul Harper himself will stay on to help.
“I worked so hard to build a business here I wanted somebody to have it that would do the right thing,” Harper said.
When they're done with cleanup and renovations, the empty chairs will be filled again. They say will be a second chance for the restaurant, for its future employees and maybe a second chance for the entire community surrounding Jefferson Street.
