Community Corner
Union Workers Volunteer To Help Re-Open Capt's Hard Time
A restaurant that's been called the "backbone" of 79th Street was victimized by a copper wire thief late Tuesday night.
CHICAGO, IL — A longtime popular South Side soul food restaurant was the victim of a late-night burglary and had to close earlier this week, but thousands of dollars have been raised to help the restaurant get back up and running in less than 48 hours after the burglary. As of the end of the business day on Thursday, nearly $3,000 had been raised for Capt.'s Hard Time and owner Josephine Wade, known in the Chatham neighborhood as "Mother Wade."
Copper wiring worth about $10,000 was stolen from the 79th Street restaurant in Tuesday night's burglary, part of which was captured by a surveillance video at the business and shared in part by ABC-7.
The restaurant, located at 436 E. 79th St., has been forced to close temporarily due to losing electricity as a result of the break-in, the Chicago Tribune reports. A report from the Chicago Sun-Times indicates electricity is back on after workers from the Chicago chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local IBEW 134 volunteered to do the job.
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Prior to closing and after the burglary, Wade prepped meals using a flashlight to keep the business running.
A GoFundMe effort was started Wednesday by Jahmal Cole, who called Capt.'s Hard Time "the backbone of 79th Street for decades. Wade opened the place in 1987 and quickly became a neighborhood icon.
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"Mother Wade is more than a business owner -- and her restaurant is more than a place for great chicken and waffles (although they are the best)," Cole wrote in the GoFundMe description. "Wade is a role model for residents, visitors, and other businesses in the area. She represents the great things Chatham has to offer, and welcomes everyone to her business with open arms."
"If you can kick in a few bucks to help Captain Hard Times get the wiring replaced, you'll be helping save a community institution," he said. "Mother Wade has always been there for us, let's step up for her."He went on to call Wade "a beacon of hope for the entire city."
The GoFundMe has a goal to raise $10,000.
Image via GoFundMe
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