Opportunity Rising: Detroit Soul opens second spot in Jefferson/Chalmers with Motor City Match grant

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Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and city leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week for Detroit Soul, a farm-to-table soul food restaurant in the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood on the city’s east side. The business, marking the 142nd brick-and-mortar opened by Motor City Match, sources food locally to fill a community void for healthier food options and family-friendly dining.

“In opening the location of this soul food restaurant, we aspire to build more community, economic growth and employment within the area,” said Jerome Brown, co-founder of Detroit Soul. “We hope our restaurant will become that third place that you can come – whether you’re a janitor or CEO – and band together as equals while enjoying nostalgic food and conversations.”

Brown and his brother, Samuel Van Buren, were driven by faith to leverage their corporate careers and launch a business aligned with their passion for homemade southern-style cooking and community. In partnership with the nonprofit Jefferson East, Inc., the brothers hosted public engagement sessions with community members before opening their doors, revealing a need for more family-friendly dine-in options and an employer who would hire from within the community.

One hundred percent of Detroit Soul’s staff are Detroit residents and 90% of its food comes from local food producers.

“This whole idea of sourcing food for urban communities ties into our commitment to help our community eat healthy,” Van Buren said. “We want to encourage people to eat well by eating better. Many of these areas have poor health because there is a lack of healthy food options. Detroit Soul brings this healthier twist to soul food, utilizing ingredients that are better for you and less harmful to your health.”

This marks the second location for Detroit Soul, which currently has a restaurant on East 8 Mile Road in Detroit. Their new location resides in the historic Kresge Building Department store, inviting a sense of nostalgia for older patrons and history buffs. The area continues to undergo transformation through revitalization catalytic programs like Motor City Match and the Strategic Neighborhood Fund.