A server with a servant’s heart opens a new cafe in Homewood
One Sunday afternoon in Romeo, Michigan, Joy Smith’s mom passed a little outhouse while driving and transformed it into a restaurant in her mind.
“She said ‘wouldn’t that make the cutest little restaurant? We could have roast on Thursday, and whatever on Friday, and of course pie,’” Smith said. “I wanted to do that so bad … because she was a cook, and I’ve been next to her all my life cooking.”
Since then, creating her mom’s vision has been Smith’s fantasy. She has been in Homewood for 22 years, and she started catering there in 2017 after quitting her teaching job. This year, she is opening Sorelle Cafe, a grab-and-go cafe with all the foods from Sorelle catering plus some extra surprises. She hired Daniel Roy, veteran chef from Galley Garden, to be the sous chef. She planned an August opening.
It is a grab-and-go cafe, but there will also be tables for people to sit and enjoy some cold options like an entree salad, sandwiches and sides like pasta salad or sweet potato salad. There will be snack packs for children, and Smith has already put a changing table in the bathroom.
“It’s about being thoughtful of other people’s needs,” Smith said. “I’ve been in the service industry my whole life. I’ve waited tables forever and ever, so it’s about that level of service for me, too. Going above and beyond for somebody.”
Smith moved to Birmingham when she was 18 years old and has been in the area ever since. Her first job working in a restaurant was at 16 years old, and within three months they asked her to be the manager. She catered her first wedding at age 21 in a small apartment kitchen.
In Homewood, she was a teacher for 10 years, but in 2017 she quit so she could once again pursue her love of feeding people, this time with her own catering company.
Sorelle catering was Smith’s opportunity to try new recipes, meet people and bring in business through word of mouth and repeat customers. It was a way to fulfill her passion for making food for people while also saving the money she needed to one day open up Sorelle Cafe.
Smith said she is most scared about what could happen with the new business financially. There have already been unanticipated expenses with opening up the place, and she said her teacher salary didn’t leave her with much of a savings account.
However, she is 50 years old and may never get another opportunity to try and make her seven-year-old fantasy become real, she said.
“I’ve driven past this spot for 18 years looking in this window,” Smith said. “I’m so excited and honored and scared to death to be on the other side of this glass.”
She said she is taking a leap of faith to open Sorelle Cafe, and said she will need to sell a lot of food to stay open, but her heart is knitted into it and into the neighborhood. She called herself a “walking Homewood commercial” because she loves the community so much. She said she wants to make Sorelle Cafe a place where anyone is welcome, and families have a fun place to bring their children.
“I want this to be soft and cozy and warm, and more feel like you’re walking into my house,” Smith said. “Come to Joy’s and have a cup of coffee.”
Sorelle Cafe is located at 903 Broadway St. For more information, visit facebook.com/Sorelle1000.
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