(Image: Ms. Helen’s Soul Bistro)

In 1970, Helen Coleman opened a diner in the Central District, at E Union and 23rd. While the most recent brick and mortar location, Ms. Helen’s Soul Food, was destroyed by the Nisqually earthquake in 2001, Coleman’s legacy continues.

Ms. Helen’s Soul Bistro will open at the Midtown Square development amid a mix of local businesses and food and drink venues in the spring of 2023 — directly across the street from the original Helen’s Diner location.

“Our location faces the original spot where mom opened her restaurant, and all arrows pointed to this being a have to do kind of thing,” said Jesdarnel Henton, daughter of Helen Coleman.

Patrick Foley of Lake Union Partners, the commercial real estate company that developed the corner, connected with Henton several years back about a new location at another mixed-use project but Henton sat on the idea while looking into other options around the city.

“Finally, mom came to me and said, ‘Look, if we’re going to do this again I would rather have it in the Central area. If we’re not going to be in the Central area, we’re not going to do it’,” said Henton.

The new Midtown Square location is approximately 3,000 square feet. When Lake Union Partners developed Midtown Square, Henton seized the opportunity. According to Henton, Lake Union Partners’ vision for the square was to pay homage to historical Black businesses in the area, and to bring Black businesses back to the Central District.

CHS reported details here of Midtown Square’s unique anchor tenant — Arté Noir arts center — at the center of the project.

Ms. Helen’s Soul Bistro will join Arté Noir and a mix of neighborhood and BIPOC-owned businesses including a second location of the Jerk Shack Caribbean restaurant on the edge of the development’s internal plaza, So Beautiful Salon from Shavonne Bland, a Central District resident and Garfield High grad, along 23rd Ave, a new home for Raised Doughnuts on 24th Ave, and a new home for neighborhood bar The Neighbor Lady. There’s even a pet supply store.

Meanwhile, a neighborhood is growing above with Midtown Square’s 428 market-rate and affordable apartment units, surrounding a quasi-public central plaza above a huge underground parking garage.

“There is a reason for everything,” said Henton. “I feel confident; I feel blessed; I feel I’m so busy I don’t have time to be afraid, so I see the possibility, I see the opportunity.”

While concerns about gentrification and displacement in the Central District continue, Henton is excited by the opportunity to speak to a different demographic of individuals. She describes herself as an “elder” in the community who seeks to provide the historical value aspect to the community.

“If I can be a part of educating another group of people, another generation, I’m excited,” said Henton. “I’m so excited to do this because everything changes–everything must change in order to grow.”

Though born in Los Angeles, Henton views the Central District as her home. She described how Black individuals built and cultivated businesses in the area, “but weren’t good stewards,” she said, so they were replaced.

“I want to be a good steward of what we have left in the Central Area, and I want people to understand they can bring it back–they can reemerge,” said Henton. “If we understood the value of Central District, we wouldn’t have left it.”

To assist Ms. Helen’s with reemerging, Dana Frank and her son Brett stepped in. Frank said how when she was a child, she grew up going to Ms. Helen’s. Her goal within the new restaurant is to support the legacy of the business.

“The community really begs for this,” said Frank. “Nothing more than what I want to see is this woman get this operation back up and running so she can support and transfer it to her children and their children.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise start-up funds for things like appliances and furniture. Frank also said she’s in the process of finding investors in addition to reaching out to the community.

While the official opening is still about seven months away, the business will be hosting a kick-off event in November where attendees can take a peek into the new location while sampling menu items.

Ms. Helen’s Soul Bistro will open at Midtown Square in spring 2023. Learn more on their GoFundMe page.

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