06/07/2026
Trigger Warning
We usually try and stay far away from controversy, especially when it involves another locally owned restaurant, but we're gonna' go ahead and weigh in on this one. For better or worse, this hits close to home for us so, buckle up.
Recently, a post has been circulating made by a family that saw a homeless man pulling food from a trashcan outside a local restaurant. The story goes like this:
That family decided to do what I hope most of us would do and they offered him a meal. When they entered the restaurant to buy the man something to eat, they were refused service. So, they spoke to the owner. They were told that the establishment could refuse service to anyone. And, well, that's true. So, the family left.
Unlike a lot of folks, though, this family didn't just accept defeat. They took to social media to post about their experience. They weren't hateful about it, they were just clear and honest about being hurt and let down.
In response, the community stepped up. Hundreds of people commented offering support to that homeless man and that family. Many of them said they'd stop supporting a beloved (and delicious) local eatery.
Now, a lot of you know that this issue hits close to home for us. The day we open our doors to serve paying customers, we'll also be launching our Feed-A-Neighbor program. But, you might not know why that is.
Long story short, when we were in our 20's, we moved our family to a new place... Ohio. I know, I know, don't get mad. I came back. We just felt the need to try something new.
Unfortunately for us, things didn't go as planned. When we pulled into town, our car broke down. Young and dumb with 2 small kids, we didn't know what to do and things snowballed. We became homeless.
We weren't "couch surfing" homeless, we were full blown living in a tent with 2 small kids, "where is our next meal coming from?" homeless.
Luckily for us, while this community didn't have a lot of government resources, they did have a lot of amazing people. They stopped in, got to know us. They didn't just feed us, they spent time with us. They became our community.
With a little help we were able to get back on our feet and we only spent a summer and fall in that tent. They were tough times, but it drew our family closer.
Now, many years later, we're not just on our feet. We're opening Sweet Marie's. I just don't know if we'd have gotten here without those folks up in Millersburg, Ohio. But, God was watching out and he sent them our way.
Anyway, like I said, this one hits close to home. So, I'm going to do something that's probably a little strange. I'm going to shout-out 2 local restaurants for 2 VERY different reasons and I don't own either of them.
First, shout-out to On Thyme Restaurant for being the first one in the comments to say something to the effect of "If you're trying to feed someone in need, bring them here. We'd love to feed them."
If you know On Thyme, it ain't just great food... those eggrolls... It's great people and I wasn't the least bit surprised to see them jump up to help. Y'all rock!
The other shout-out, I want you to hear me out. See, before we had that hard season, my husband was a "Don't feed them." kind of guy. It took that hard season for him to see how wrong he was and, today, he's a different man.
He's not just helping me build my dream business, he's helping me launch the Feed-A-Neighbor program to help other locals in need. Sometimes, you have to really step in it to change your perspective.
So, I also want to shout-out Seoul Sushi (won't let me tag y'all) in Wilmington.
After the response from the community, Seoul realized they needed to make a change and, now, they're not just offering training for their staff AND OWNERS (way to take responsibility and step up, guys), they're also donating a portion of their proceeds to a local charity that feeds the hungry!
It takes something special to do the right thing, that's true. But, it takes strength, courage, and humility to admit when you've made a mistake and do something to change it.
In a day and age where most folks choose to double-down on bad decisions, the owners at Seoul Sushi decided to step up, take responsibility, and make a change. That, to me, is incredibly impressive. I can't wait to try them on my next trip to Wilmington, and I think you should too.
Anyway, enjoy the weather this beautiful Sunday.
And, if your business would like to do something great for your community today, check out the first comment below for a link to our Feed-A-Neighbor sponsorship.
These sponsorships are more than just great publicity for your business and some awesome Merch! It's a chance to be the change you want to see in the world. So, check them out!
