CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nana Morrison's Soul Food has become a Charlotte staple in the 12 years since the original location opened. Now, the family-owned business is expanding with its next generation at the helm.
Gabriella Morrison is the general manager of Nana Morrison's Soul Food's second Charlotte location, which opened Monday. At just 16 years old, Gabriella is the latest sibling in her family to take on the family business. Her oldest brother Shawn Jr., 24, operates the original Nana's location on Oak Lake Boulevard, and her brother Hank, 18, will take over a third location in Port St. Lucie, Florida later this year.
Gabriella said her parents were with her each step of the way as she prepared to open the new location.
"My dad was teaching me all of the steps it goes into it, like signing the lease, finding general contractors, subcontractors, buying equipment, buying materials to build," she said. "The last three months went by so fast, but I've learned so much that now if I wanted to go on my own and make more, I'd be able to do that by myself."
PHOTOS: Nana Morrison's Soul Food new location opening
As entrepreneurs, Shawn and Kiana Morrison instilled the importance of generational wealth at a young age. Gabriella said working in the restaurant business is something she's wanted to do since she was little.
"Now with my siblings, and I stepping up and taking on these companies, my parents get to essentially be retired. It's just up to us now to keep it going," Morrison said.
With a new brick-and-mortar, Nana's continues to grow its footprint in Charlotte. The new opening coincides with Carolinas Black Restaurant Week, which aims to introduce Black, culinary businesses and culinary professionals to the community through a series of events and promotional campaigns.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia area recently ranked number two among the top 15 places for Black entrepreneurs, with Black-owned businesses making up 27.59% of all businesses in the area, according to Smart Asset.
Gabriella said she's excited to be part of a growing community because it means the new guests will soon become familiar faces.
"Every day people will come in by word of mouth," she said. "That's how we [get] most of our customers, you know, just keeping things consistent, making sure the food tastes great, [offering] great hospitality. And that makes them want to come back."
The best part, Gabriella said, is being independent and showing other young people that anything they want to achieve is attainable.
"I just want to let all the young people out there know that I'm here 16 running a company," she said. "There are young entrepreneurs and we can set our minds to whatever we want to do. Age is just a number."
The second location of Nana Morrison's Soul Food is now open in the Riverbend Shopping Center, at 3824 Corning Place, Charlotte. It opens daily at 11 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. and at 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.