Vulcan Real Estate (VRE) recently announced that Simply Soulful Café, a Black, family-owned restaurant in Madison Valley that serves traditional southern cuisine, is the latest retailer to join the Jackson Apartments’ retail pavilion at the southeast corner of 23rd Avenue S. and S. Jackson Street.
According to Ada M. Healey, chief real estate officer for Vulcan, the addition of Simply Soulful aligns with VRE’s promise to Central Area residents at the outset of the project’s development process to create opportunities for business owners with minority backgrounds.
“We’re excited to bring another locally owned business to Jackson Apartments,” said Healey. “Simply Soulful will make a wonderful addition to the project and soon become a key fixture of the neighborhood.”
Facing South Jackson Street, Simply Soulful will feature approximately 1,900 square-feet of space for dining and community gathering. Owners Barbara Collins and Lillian Rambus envision this location as a cultural hub and plan to reserve space within the restaurant for local artists to showcase their work.
“We are so excited for this opportunity to expand our business to Seattle’s Central Area,” said Rambus. “The southeast corner of 23rd Avenue South and South Jackson Street has a unique history and connection to the city’s Black community for decades. We consider it a privilege to carry on the neighborhood’s cultural legacy through our family’s traditions and recipes.”
Simply Soulful has served the Seattle area since 2014. The restaurant’s menu features family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Before opening their storefront in Madison Valley, Barbara and Lillian baked and sold sweet potato pies made from their mother and grandmother Elizabeth Hammond’s recipe at local farmer’s markets in Seattle. As their pies became more popular, the two decided to expand their menu and founded Simply Soulful Pies & Catering, making dishes using their family’s recipes. Collins and Rambus plan to add new items to their menu upon opening at the Jackson Apartments. The new location will also serve alcohol.
Simply Soulful is expected to open at the Jackson Apartments in late summer 2021.
