Bushfan's dream rolls forward as "Joe's Diner" opens at Angier/Driver

We first reported here in 2008 of entrepreneur and former celebrity security professional Joe Bushfan's grand plans for Angier and Driver, the long-troubled street corner in East Durham that was once a treasured walkable commercial district, but which has fallen into disrepair during the area's post-industrial economic travails.

Bushfan -- husband of Durham District Court Judge Elaine Bushfan -- announced his intention to open three businesses, including a restaurant, an Internet cafe/storefront, and a neighborhood grocery. 

All of which serve a drastically underserved market. And with the grocery store, which is being opened in concert with local non-profit TROSA, Bushfan and his partners are creating a business that'll help the community in two ways, through both increased retail options for the area as well as job options for participants in TROSA's award-winning substance abuse recovery programs.

This weekend marked the grand opening of the restaurant side of the equation, as Joe's Diner officially opened up its doors at Angier and Driver after a two-week soft opening. Bushfan's Superlative Fine Foods received some funds from Durham's neighborhood revitalization program, as well as private investment from a range of Durham notables.

The N&O's Jim Wise has a great feature in this weekend's The Durham News on the restaurant's debut. It's open extended hours, from 7am until 10:30pm daily. Read more about Bushfan's restaurant and dreams at the N&O web site.

Comments

[Phil]

Just awesome. Just frickin' awesome.

[TSQ75]

this is really, really awesome...:)

[Darius Little]

The customer service is good and the food is both incredible and very reasonably priced.

Also, being open until 10:30pm (when everything except McDonald's and Wendy's has already closed) will definitely help secure Bushfan some more business.

I can't wait 'til word gets out more; it's truly a great place and hopefully, through its success, will motivate other potential business owners, to invest into that market as well.

From what I've tasted, I have no qualms with driving the 15 minutes from my house, to get there and eat.

[Treat Harvey]

Yes! We went on Sunday after church...it's right up the street and provided a warm and yummy lunch on a very cold day! Congrats to Joe et al. for making it happen.