This Macon restaurant owner thought all was lost. But the community rushes to his aid
Just when Jonathan Keene thought all was lost after a break-in at his Macon restaurant, the community came through for him.
“If you knew how many people came by here, messaged me, reached out to me to offer help, I mean, it just totally changed the perspective of what had happened,” Keene said. “It took something that was evil and destructive and malicious and turned it into something that was good and loving and hopeful.”
Five months ago, he opened Keene’s Kafe after quitting his job to follow his dream of owning a restaurant. He put everything he had into the business.
Known for its steakburgers and cathead biscuits, Keen’s Kafe is nestled within a convenience store at a Shell gas station at 6369 Thomaston Road, Suite 100.
The break-in
Early Wednesday, burglars broke in by cutting a hole into a supply closet in the back of the building and then into the restaurant and next into the convenience store. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
“In the process, they stole everything I had as far as money and opened my freezer and my fridge and wasted all my food,” Keene said. “Then they took the surveillance DVRs, so there’s no footage, nothing.”
Keene initially described the break-in as a “death-blow to me.”
“I mean I had my cash deposits, the store’s savings and obviously 90% of my money was tied up in the cooler and the freezer,” Keene said. “I didn’t have anything other than what I had here.
“I didn’t have anything put away. I was day to day. I just quit my job to open this thing. It’s not like I came in as an existing business or existing credit or anything like that.”
Keene had only liability insurance. He said he hadn’t gotten himself financially to the point yet where he could afford additional insurance.
At 3:50 a.m. Wednesday, Keene got a call from the convenience store owner about the break-in. The burglars, who had managed to bypass motion sensors when breaking in through his restaurant, finally tripped the convenience store’s alarm when apparently trying to get into the ATM, he said.
After surveying the damage and loss, Keene posted an emotional video on his Facebook in which he poured out his heart about the incident and his plight just before 7 a.m.
The rally call
By 9:30 a.m., Scott Redner, one of the administrators for the Facebook group Support Macon Restaurants, had set up a GoFundMe account for Keener and shared the need with the group.
“Let’s step up as a group and help!,” Redner posted. “Message me if you have any questions or would like to help me in fundraising for Jonathan and his family business.”
In addition to financial support, Keene received food and paper goods from a couple of restaurants.
He was inundated with words of encouragement from people who called or came by or messaged him through Facebook or posted on social media.
By 2 p.m., Keene had received enough financial support to set up an “emergency” delivery of a truck load of food with the hope of opening the next day.
“Between that and talking about it all day, the trauma or the pain, so to speak, the initial shock, that part’s kinda of over,” Keene said. “It’s like, OK, somebody tried to take your baby away, and these people are lining up to help you keep it. So, we gotta just pick up the pieces and move forward.”
Keene spent Wednesday cleaning and getting everything put back in place, talking with lots of people, including various news reporters and food reps, and figuring out what he could afford to get delivered or purchase locally in order to reopen.
“Mostly picking up all the pieces and putting it all together and mustering up an offense to get the ship back on track,” he said. “We’ve got a big road to climb.
“It sounds crazy but we’ve got to have several good sales and people coming by to eat the food in order for us to dig back out of this hole we’re in.”
Back in business
At 6 a.m. Thursday, Keene’s Kafe was back open — something Keene said absolutely would not have been possible without the outpouring of support from the community.
He also posted a heartfelt thank you to the community on Facebook.
Also, while the food truck wasn’t able to make it in time for the re-opening Thursday morning, Keene was able to make do with goods from Walmart and Kroger. He sold out of everything except hot dogs and fries.
And by that afternoon, more than $5,000 had been raised for Keene through the GoFundMe account.
It was a good day for Keene. He was busy doing what he loves: cooking for people.
Additionally, with the arrival of the food truck that afternoon, he was also getting ready for his first “Middle Ga Bike Night” that evening. The Bike Night was in the works before the break-in, and he was thankful that he didn’t have to cancel the event.
“Regardless of what we got to do, I’m gonna keep cooking,” Keene said. “I’m not gonna stop cooking because someone decided to take something that wasn’t theirs.”
The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
