Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The two met several years ago when Brown had his 50th birthday party at her coffee shop, Third Perk. They talked about doing something together in the future, but it wasn’t until Darden acquired the former space of Quincy’s and Randy’s Chicken and Waffles at 3907 W. Third St. that the idea started coming into fruition.
After hosting a few pop-ups in September 2024, the Soul Food Carryout officially opened its doors in January.
Third Perk express is coming soon
The next phase is to add a Third Perk express location, a drive-thru version of Darden’s coffee shop that was once located at 146 E. Third St. in Dayton. They also hope to offer ice cream.
“The winners are the people who recognize there is a problem and are able to pivot and continue on,” Darden previously said. “Downtown has stopped working for me. It has stopped being a passion project and now I’m able to pivot into my own space with a drive up model serving a community that’s underserved.”
Before launching Third Perk, Darden was a tenured associate professor in the math department at Sinclair Community College. She had also served 13 years in the military as a dental specialist for the army. In 2020, she left Sinclair as she was expanding her coffee house.
“I’m happy about having a space in West Dayton,” Darden said. “(I’m) very excited to get back to coffee because that is what I do.”
Darden is a 1989 Dunbar High School graduate who grew up about eight minutes from the carryout. It once housed Citizens Federal, where she set up her first bank account.
What to expect
Soul Food Carryout offers traditional recipes with their own spin on it. For example, their Gumbo Greens feature a traditional gumbo infused with Brown’s collard greens.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Other favorites include Jerk Chicken, Shrimp & Grits, BBQ Glazed Salmon and Chicken Chili.
On Fridays, the carryout offers smoked wings and fried catfish. On Saturdays and Sundays, they have friend chicken. They also offer slow roasted pot roast on Sundays.
Side items include black eyed peas, candied yams, collard greens, mac and cheese and steamed white rice.
“We do have more items that we are going to be adding,” Darden said.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Vegan options will be available.
Their tagline is “the food is smack your mama good.”
A love for food
Brown is a 1986 graduate of Patterson Co-op, where he studied culinary arts before serving in the U.S. Air Force for six years.
“At 9 years old, I discovered that I had a love for food,” Brown said. “My courageous mom allowed me to push a chair up to the stove and cook.”
In the early ’90s, he moved to Georgia and attended The Art Institute of Atlanta.
He worked under Darryl Evans, a renowned chef who was the first African American to participate in the International Culinary Olympics, during an internship. Upon graduation, he worked as a chef on a yacht in Belize.
Prior to returning to his hometown in October 2024, Brown had owned a catering business for more than 20 years where he had cooked on movie sets and served clients such as Tyler Perry.
“That was pivotal for me to go to a larger city and get some exposure and then fast forward to now and bring that experience back to Dayton,” Brown said.
He plans to continue offering catering services through the restaurant.
MORE DETAILS
Soul Food Carryout is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Darden said they plan to unmask 10 murals created by local students at the carryout this summer. These will be located outside on the fence line and will be visible to those that pass by.
For more information or to preorder, call 937-609-4804.
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