PHOENIX J'S SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT in Champaign and Urbana Illinois

In addition to existing black owned businesses in Champaign and

Urbana Illinois which already includes:  Fresh Catch Fish Market,

Barrel Full of Products Galore, Reye's Beauty Salon, Seaboat Restaurant,

North First Street Barbershop, WBCP Radio Station, Lock & Glory Beauty

Parlor, J.J's Lawn Care Service, Williams Memorial Funeral Home,

G-Que's Men's Wear, the American Legion Post 559, Colony Square

Cleaners, Jeneba African Braiding, Melker, Parker, Bluitt Mortuary

Funeral Home, Suits by Soouljah Men's Wear, Rose & Taylor Barber

& Beauty Shop, Jazz Beauty Supply, the Whip Hair Designs, in addition

to other unknown businesses, as well as home based businesses, I am

not aware of is another new business called, Phoenix J's Soul Food Restaurant.

     Phoenix J's Soul Food Restaurant is located at 1505 East Wash-

ington Street in Urbana Illinois.  Champaign Urbana are twin

cities in Eastern Illinois for those who are unfamiliar with both.

Champaign had another black owned business called the New

Chicken Shack which was located on North Fourth Street.  This

business was owned by a gentleman by the name of Mr. Blessed Beach-

um, but he decided to relocate his business to Rantoul Illinois.

This is the second black owned eating establishment in Champaign Urbana that I am

aware of for right now.  When I sat down with Phoenix J to inter-

view him about his business,  here is what he told me:

S:  "Phoenix can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

P:  "I am originally from Decatur Illinois.  I've worked in my comm-

unity in Decatur Illinois.  I helped my mother with a previous or-

ganization called,  "Youth Empowerment" which was owned by my

mother.  As far as cooking goes,  I cooked at miscellaneous es-

tablishments in the Decatur area."

S:  "What type of cooking or chef skills do you possess?"

P:  "I have not attended any culinary school or anything like that.

I have just been cooking for years.  I have cooked at private 

clubs, hotels, and I also do catering on the side.  I presently do

gourment cooking, home (soul food) cooking, and a little bit of

Asian and Mexican cooking."

S:  " What motivated you to open up a restaurant in the Urbana

        Illinois area?" 

P:  "Well, this restaurant was originally suppose to be in Cham-

paign, but I found this particular building in Urbana which I liked,

so I opened up here.  I simply got tired of working for other people

and decided to open up my own business.  As soon as I started

renting this particular building.  I was fired at my job which was

at the Hendricks House on Green Street in Champaign.  When I

tried to get a loan for my business,  the loan company turned me

down after they found out that Hendrick's House had fired me."

S:  "Are you the only brains in the planning and organizing of this

      business, or is there someone else involved as well?"

P:  "Yes there is.  I have a partner.  His name is Walt Miller, but

everyone in the community no him as Walt G."

S:  "In terms of finances,  what type of capital did you have to put

      up front before opening your business?"

P:  "Again,  I did not have any capital since the loan company did

give me a loan.  My partner and I are basically starting from

scratch, and we always welcome financial support from the com-

munity as well as outsiders."

S:  "What do you hope to accomplish by opening a restaurant in

       Urbana Illinois?"

P:   "When we get this business established off the ground,  my

partner and I are going to build other branches of this business

throughout the Champaign and Savoy area."

S:  "Last, but not least,  being a black owned restaurant, what

      type of soul food, as well as regular food, can community

      residents, as well as outsiders, expect to receive when they

      patronize your place of business?"

P:  "They can expect to receive pork chops, beef rib tips, pork

rib tips, catfish, baked macaroni and cheese, cabbage, greens

and cornbread, black eyed peas, red beans & rice, sock-it-to-me

cakes, chocolate cakes, seven up cakes, sweet potato pie, apple

pie, peach cobbler, chicken breast sandwich with fries,  Heinkel

polish sausage, Baby Back Rack (Ribs Only), and a host of other

delicious and appetizing dishes for the whole family to enjoy."

S:  "Thank you for this interview Mr. Phoenix J, and I wish you

       and your partner much success with your business."

P:  "Thank you very much!  People can always call us at (217)

365-0800 to place an order in advance or for more information

about our restaurant."