HOUSTON – It’s the kind of holiday chaos no business owner ever expects.
Just days before Christmas, a car crashed straight through the dining room of Mikki’s Cafe while customers were inside. Then, before the week was over, burglars broke into another one of the restaurant’s locations.
Despite the back-to-back incidents, the co-owners of the beloved Houston staple say closing their doors was never an option.
Co-owner Janelle Williams says she was Christmas shopping when she got a call from her general manager that made her stop in her tracks.
“She called me and she’s like, ‘I really don’t want to tell you this,’” Williams recalled. “I said, ‘just spill it.’ She said, ‘A car just came through the dining room.’”
Surveillance video shows just how close the call was, a vehicle slamming through the wall, crashing steps away where customers typically stand to order and where tables are usually filled.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Williams says her managers spoke with the driver, who was dealing with personal issues and accidentally hit the gas instead of reverse.
“She was really exhausted,” Williams said. “But she was okay as well.”
While the damage was significant, the response was immediate.
“We cleared out all the debris and the car,” Williams said. “We boarded it up that night, rebuilt the wall, and we opened the next day.”
The holidays are one of the busiest times of year for restaurants, and Williams says shutting down wasn’t an option.
A Second Hit — This Time From Burglars
Just days later, surveillance video from Mikki’s Cafe’s Third Ward location showed burglars crawling alongside the building, breaking a window, and rummaging through the office.
“It was like a double whammy in one week,” co-owner Craig Joseph said. “But we were built for this.”
The burglars didn’t get much.
“They cost us more to repair than what they got away with,” Williams said. “Some change, a couple hundred dollars.”
Joseph added that most customers pay with cards anyway.
“80 to 90% of our customers use credit cards,” he said.
Despite the frustration, both owners say the incidents only strengthened their resolve.
“These things happen to test your will and your faith,” Joseph said. “We believe in our mighty God. He’s going to see us through.”
Williams says community support has been overwhelming.
“Through everything we go through, they still support us,” she said. “They never back off. It’s always full force when something happens.”
The owners say the motivation to keep going comes from honoring their late mother, whose legacy lives on through the restaurant.
“This house is made of bricks, not sand,” Williams said. “There’s too much blood, sweat, and tears in this place to stop now.”
As the holiday season continues, Mikki’s Cafe remains open serving customers, leaning on faith, and pushing forward through adversity.