12/13/2024
We're so excited to share the news finally!!!!!!!!
selected us to be a part of their
TOP 40 UNDER 40
"Nikki and her husband, Paul Polk Jr, had
st found out they were nominated for
fchmond Magazine's Elby Awards, Best
New Restaurant, the day before. "I was
really looking forward to that party, says
Nikki. "We had never been celebrated for
our accomplishments in that way.
But then the world came to a grinding
halt. "We chose this location because of the
foot traffic, says Nikki. "Suddenly it was a
ghost town."
Both Johnson and Wales University
(Charlotte) grads, the Polks had moved their
business from Newport News, Nikki's home-
town, to Richmond in 2019 because the city
felt more inviting to small businesses."They
weren't going to let a global pandemic slow
them down.
When Nikki wasn't waking up at the crack
of dawn to finalize grant paperwork- the
restaurant received several, including the
$25,000 Discover Card grant--she and Paul
were hustling to help the folks around them.
In 2021 and 2022 they hosted a June-
teenth Soiree, an event bringing together
local Black chefs who were invited to set
up tables in the restaurant-sans vendor
fee-for a tasting experience.
"We wantedan opportunity for everyone to make money during this hard time, says Paul. The event
also raised funds for hospitality workers af-
fected by COVID-19 and for Bohlale Baheti
Social, a Newport News nonprofit that gives
out: scholarships to young Black women.
The Polks have hosted open mics with
musician friend (Bruce Skuzii
Danet), transforming their restaurant into
a hub for creatives to showcase their talent.
-We have other people do the food, like our
friend Wes [Mazah] and his
," says Paul. "We just make cocktails,
tell our friends to keep all their money and
bring their own POS [point of sale] system.
This generous attitude garnered the
couple a 2023 nomination for the Virginia
Restaurant, Travel and Lodging Associa-
tion's Ordinary Awards Hospitality Hero.
"We don't have a lot of money, but if I can
help you because you want to help yourself,
we can make that space for you," says Nikki
M.S.H.