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Stussy’s Diner turns painful history into a South Side success story
The co-owners of Stussy’s Diner talk about reclaiming a once-traumatic building in Bridgeport, building a million-dollar business, and creating a community hub that gives back during Black History Month.
CHICAGO - A diner in Bridgeport sits at 3500 S. Halsted St., where decades ago, the owner's family was attacked and locked out of the building.
Erik Nance bought the space and opened Stussy's Diner in August 2024, transforming a site of exclusion into a community gathering place during a month when many are reflecting on history.
The attack in 1979
In 1979, Nance was a year old when he and his family were attacked near 35th and Halsted streets. People who lived in the apartments above the restaurant threw eggs and shouted racist slurs at the family sitting in their car, according to Nance.
When Nance's father, Willis, got out of the car, about a dozen white men came after him with baseball bats. The kids in the car ran in different directions.
Willis Nance ran to the doors of the Bridgeport Restaurant to call for help. His father, an off-duty Chicago police officer, was with him. The staff refused to let them in.
"They just felt really helpless," said Yasmin Fowler, co-owner and Nance's goddaughter.
The Bridgeport Restaurant operated at that corner for more than 75 years before closing in 2022. The building sat empty until Nance saw it was available.
Reclaiming the space
Nance, who had already opened several successful businesses, saw an opportunity to rewrite what that address meant for his family.
"Years later, my godfather has opened up a few really successful businesses. They drove by and saw that the place was available, and he saw it as an opportunity to transform the space and give it back to the community," Fowler said.
The diner is named after Nance's daughter. Co-owners include Fowler and Dahlia Beckett. The restaurant is Black and female-owned.
Stussy's hit $1 million in revenue in its first year. Fowler credits authenticity.
"I do think us just being our authentic selves and staying true to our mission is what helped us get this far," she said.
The restaurant has become a place where neighbors gather. Beckett described the atmosphere.
"It's truly a fulfilling feeling. Just seeing people gather here and come together, relax, hang out with their friends. It's amazing," she said.
Fowler said the space serves a specific purpose in the community.
"Susie's is really a place for young adults and people alike to come and feel safe and to enjoy themselves, to be serviced by good people that look like them," she said.
Feeding the community
The restaurant provides meals to people without housing. The practice has been central to Nance's approach to business from the start.
"Feeding the homeless has been a part of my godfather's mission from the beginning of his businesses and his business ventures even going back to lighthouse, which started probably over 15 years ago. Now, he has always sought out to help those who needed it without a question," Fowler said.
Beckett said the neighborhood's support made giving back natural.
"It's important for us to pour back into those that are pouring into us. And like I said, the neighborhood has shown us so much love, so it was only right for us to do that," she said.
Black Restaurant Week participation
Stussy's is one of 40 restaurants participating in Chicago Black Restaurant Week, which runs through Feb. 22. Nance also included his other restaurants in the event, including Litehouse Whole Food Grill, Soul Shack and Chemistry Chicago in Hyde Park.
For more information about Chicago Black Restaurant Week, visit https://chiblackrestaurantweek.com/.