EUCLID, Ohio — A customer of Gram Gram’s Soulfood in Euclid reached out to News 5 earlier this month with a plea for help as the restaurant was withering away.
The restaurant owner, Dawna Blount, previously told News 5 that August’s storms knocked out her power and forced her to cook all of her inventory. She gave it away for free.
RELATED: 'I don't want to leave': Popular Euclid soul food restaurant shut down for weeks, begging for help
A week later, her stove and cooler failed her.
Blount said she paid two men to fix those appliances —which cost $700 in total.
However, Blount stated that neither individual returned to finish the job, which, in turn, dug her deeper and deeper into debt.
“I’ve de-plenished everything I have. I don’t even have more money to buy food,” Blount said on Sept. 9.
Gram Gram’s Soulfood shut down for more than three weeks.
“I figured nobody would help me,” Blount said.
But she was wrong.
Shortly after Blount’s story aired on News 5, donations started pouring in.
As of Sunday night, Blount’s GoFundMe raised $6,059. 109 people donated.
Blount also received contributions in person and through a third-party app. She said she received an additional $1,000.
Prior to her story going public, Blount had only raised $170.
“It makes me feel like I’m worth something because I’m not going to lie, I never felt [like] I was worth nothing until now,” Blount said with tears swelling in her eyes. “These people have embraced me, and no one ever did that for me in my whole life.”
With the overwhelming amount of donations, Blount said she was able to pay rent and utilities plus restock her fridge and pay her employees.
News 5 called both individuals Blount initially paid to fix her appliances. While the one who promised to repair her fridge never responded, the other tasked with fixing her stove did call back.
He previously told News 5 he would either issue Blount a partial refund or come back that week to fix the stove.
Blount said he called her to say he’d be back the week of Sept. 9 to repair her stove. She added he never showed up and now doesn’t return her calls.
News 5 reached out to that individual again Sunday night but didn’t hear back before publication. We’ll continue to follow through.
Blount said she managed to find someone else who fixed both her stove and cooler. She also bought a new grill with the donations.
“[The stove] just needs some tweaking because he forgot to put these pieces back in. But it's working. My cooler, as you can see, it's up in the right numbers. I'm fully stocked on everything, even my supplies. I got everything now and I'm just ready to serve food,” she said. “I was able to do everything to be back where I started and thanks everybody. Thanks. I mean, from my heart.”
Gram Gram’s Soulfood is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The restaurant’s hours have also slightly shifted.
- Wednesdays, 12 - 6 p.m.
- Thursdays and Fridays, 12 - 7 p.m.
- Saturdays, 12 - 6 p.m.
- Sundays, 12 - 5 p.m.
The restaurant has a full menu from Salisbury steak to salmon. Various sides are available, including stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and green beans.
Gram Gram’s Soulfood reopened on Sept. 13.
As the restaurant was wrapping up services for the day on Sunday, there was a constant flow of customers.
Niecy Harwell stopped by shortly before Gram Gram’s closed for the evening. She said she’s been a longtime fan of the restaurant and was ecstatic to see it opened again.
“It reminds me of my grandma’s cooking and my grandma’s gone,” she said. “I toughed through it, but I counted down the days until she opened back up and here I am.”
Harwell has lived in Euclid for about two decades and said she hasn’t found a soul food restaurant quite like Gram Gram’s.
Harwell ordered dinner for her and her son. She purchased a Salisbury steak with macaroni and cheese, plus green beans. She also bought a grilled chicken breast dinner.
“If you’ve never had it, come to Gram Gram’s. It’s like grandma’s cooking. I’m telling you – it’s good,” Harwell added.
Gram Gram’s Soulfood is still accepting donations. CLICK HERE for the restaurant’s GoFundMe. Donations can also be sent to Blount’s CashApp tag: $Gramgramssoulfood.
As for Daniel Lee, the customer who asked for News 5’s help, Blount says she will forever be grateful to him.
“I tell people you never know who you're meeting and dealing with. Angels are everywhere. If it wasn't for him, I really feel like it wouldn't have gotten out here the way it did. I'm so thankful to you,” Blount noted.
