Evanston

This summer, that vision becomes reality as Soul & Smoke, the beloved casual BBQ joint from Evanston, Illinois, expands its flagship location—turning a once-humble smoke shack into a destination for refined, fire-driven dining.

“When we looked at where we were going to open this restaurant it certainly would have been easier, faster to find a second generation spot in downtown Evanston or downtown Chicago,” says Bublick.

“It's formerly a red line neighborhood in Evanston that suffered from disinvestment. Evanston was the first city in the U.S. to launch a reparations program directly addressing the harm that was caused in this neighborhood and it was a factor on why we picked it.”

Evanston, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, became the first city to make reparations available to its black residents in 2021, by offering qualified households money for expenses such as home repairs and down payments.

Ojeh married Jones in September 2007 after meeting during the 1990s on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., when she was walking to class and he was a high school senior visiting campus.