CHATHAM — Opening a restaurant for the duration of a pandemic is a dangerous enterprise. Opening two in four months is an extremely hard undertaking for most. But the Walker Relatives is in the enterprise of earning the impossible happen.
Clean from the success of their initially dine-in restaurant in Burnham, Mark and Shae Walker recently celebrated the grand opening of their 2nd location, Ooh Wee It Is, 33 E. 83rd St., in Chatham.
Providing soul food items “with a twist” and a cereal bar that would make one’s interior 10-year-outdated giddy with glee, the husband and spouse crew hope to make Ooh Wee It Is a “can’t miss” location for locals and out-of-towners alike.
“We have not been experience the results of the pandemic considering the fact that opening the cafe. Men and women enjoy to try to eat, and they however want to experience some variety of experience as if they went out to dine at a restaurant,” said Mark Walker, who also developed Ooh Wee Sweet Tea, a line of specialty teas designed with community raw honey as a substitute of sugar.
The Walkers spent most of the pandemic cooking for household and mates, generating a frenzy every single time they posted photographs of their dishes on social media. Noticing they had some thing distinctive, the pair opened their first Ooh Wee It Is in November for takeout, and traces have been close to the block considering the fact that.
“We weren’t even seeking for a cafe. It just form of took place. … One moment we’re on the lookout at tools, and then we stumbled on the Burnham spot, and the youthful woman who owned it decided she did not want it any more. We were like, ‘we’ll acquire it,’” recalled Shea Walker, a hairstylist.
Opportunity would knock once again when they figured out that the place formerly occupied by Mather Cafe was vacant. The two fell in love with the cafe at very first sight, and were being determined to honor the legacy of Mather’s, a well-recognised collecting location for the local community.
Whilst they produced a handful of cosmetic changes, they hope to continue to keep the spirit of the old cafe alive with Ooh Wee It Is.
“Mark is a decorator. He enjoys bringing suggestions to existence. We needed a location wherever folks could occur in and listen to are living songs, socialize, and just get excellent food stuff as a reward, and this was the ideal position to present that,” said Shea Walker.
Entreés start off at $12.99, with dishes like Smothered Shrimp and Rice and Hennessy-glazed wings. For all those in the mood for cereal, the cereal bar features 75 kinds of the breakfast staple, from common brand names like Frosted Flakes to more obscure manufacturers, like Child’s Play Fantastic Men Cereal, from the 80’s horror film. Bowls start out at $4.
“We want people to occur absent suffering from fantastic purchaser company, atmosphere, and terrific foods with gorgeous presentation,” explained Mark Walker. “We want them to sense like they’ve been someplace outdoors their community. So normally, you have to drive 45 minutes out of the area to go downtown, or the North Aspect. But below, you’re 15 minutes away from house, or in going for walks length.”
Ooh Wee It Is is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m, Sundays, and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday as a result of Saturday.
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