BY MELIA DICKER, Contributing Columnist

It’s close to noon on a Wednesday, and the lunchtime rush is in full swing. The crowd comes in groups, some in work shirts, others in office slacks, and moves toward a buffet that smells heavenly.

This bustling restaurant isn’t in downtown Jackson, or Fondren. It’s in South Jackson, near the intersection of Highway 80 and I-20. Lumpkins BBQ may be off the beaten path for some, but the $8 all-you-can-eat buffet promises a satisfying midday meal. Freshly made Southern fare like fried chicken, cornbread dressing, and most of all, Lumpkins’ signature smoked beef brisket and barbecued ribs promise to leave even the hungriest diner contentedly full.

“Hey, what’s goin’ on?” Owners Monique and Melvin Davis call out to people walking in the door with a smile of recognition, bantering with them and sometimes even sitting down at the tables to chat. Enthusiastic and easy to laughter, the Davises seem to treat everyone like family.

Transplants from Washington, D.C., Monique and Melvin have put down serious roots in South Jackson since they opened Lumpkins three years ago. Despite the challenges of opening a new restaurant in a new city, and in a part of town that is still developing, they have made a name for Lumpkins through the quality of their food and their extensive outreach to a diverse clientele. Through a spirit of partnership with other local businesses, they are committed to revitalizing South Jackson for the good of the city as a whole.

Building Networks in a New Town

When Melvin took an early retirement from Verizon, he decided that he wanted to own a business, and a restaurant was the natural choice given the culinary expertise of Monique’s father, Benjamin Lumpkin (the inspiration behind the name and logo). Throughout his life, Benjamin had owned different restaurants around the country, all centered on barbecue, and had catered events for the Congressional Black Caucus and the White House.

Seeking a slower pace of life than that of D.C., as well as cheaper real estate, the Davises decided to locate their restaurant in Jackson. They both had family from Mississippi, and Melvin had inherited a family farm in Hazlehurst. In South Jackson, they found a 6,000 square foot building where they could envision the restaurant. It was close to the Interstate, and the 1.39 acres that it was built on would provide room to expand in the future.

While still living in D.C., the Davises discovered that it wasn’t easy to open a restaurant in Jackson, especially from a distance. Even though they had a detailed business plan, $100K in cash, and good credit, they found that Southern banks didn’t loan money easily – particularly to strangers. On top of that, banks avoid loaning money to restaurants in general, Monique says, because of their low profit margins compared to other types of businesses. The Davises decided to mortgage some of their assets in D.C. in order to buy the building that would house Lumpkins.

Once the Davises had succeeded in opening the restaurant, they used a variety of techniques to get the word out about their new restaurant – including advertisements in newspapers, radio, and television – and found that good old word of mouth was most effective, particularly in the South.

“Relationships are so important in Jackson, and we didn’t have the relationships when we got here,” says Monique. But she and Melvin worked hard to build them, and to introduce their food to new people, by attending every community market and event possible. They became regulars at farmer’s markets, festivals, and fairs, and they donated their food or sold it at cost to community events such as HeARTS Against AIDS and Pickin’ and Paddlin’.

“Most times we go to these events, we’re the only African Americans in the room,” says Melvin. “A lot don’t get invited or don’t accept the invitation.” From what they’ve heard from other business owners, some hesitate to give away their products, even for advertising purposes.

Strategic giving and participation, however, have worked for Lumpkins. “I think what’s brought people in more than anything is our presence at these community events,” Monique says, “and Facebook.”

One ongoing challenge has been getting people who don’t live or work in South Jackson to come there to eat. “Customer retention has never been our issue, because we have a really good product,” says Monique. “The issue has been to change people’s perceptions to get them to come in and try it.”

“Most people think that when you cross Highway 80, your head’s going to explode or something,” says Melvin, who says that the neighborhood is actually fairly quiet.

Collaboration Over Competition

Monique and Melvin have made a point of building close relationships not only with their clients, but also with other business owners.

“I tell people, ‘You know, just because you’re in the food business doesn’t make you my competition,” says Melvin. “The more successful restaurants we can get in Jackson, the stronger (Jackson) is going to be.”

The Davises prefer to collaborate, through cross promotions and partnerships, than to compete. For example, F. Jones Corner serves a Lumpkins pulled pork sandwich, and Lumpkins carries flyers for the restaurant; they are also happy to lend supplies to neighboring businesses should they find themselves short.

As relatively new business owners, Monique and Melvin also seek guidance from seasoned professionals. They have found “foodie mentors” in Al Stamps and Jeff Good; Grady Griffin of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association is also helping them fine-tune their buffet.

A Vision for “SoJa”

Monique has a vision for a thriving South Jackson, or “SoJa,” as she calls it. “This is the ideal ground for a new arts community, because there is so much cheap, empty space here,” Monique says, pounding the table for emphasis on each word. “I mean, that was the basis of SoHo – abandoned industrial facilities.”

“I’d love to see a bookstore there, or a coffee shop,” she says, pointing across the street from Lumpkins. Currently, Monique is collaborating with Neil Polen of Jackson Community Design Center to decide what to do with the old Coca-Cola plant behind Lumpkins.

The Davises, who have had challenges finding good help to bolster their small staff, are also developing a program called YES Jackson: Young Entrepreneurs of South Jackson, to teach business skills to middle school students in the neighborhood.

“I’m really committed to this area,” she says. She believes that the kind of renaissance that Fondren experienced must also happen in South Jackson. “Jackson won’t be whole until all of Jackson is whole,” she says.

Lumpkins BBQ is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday, and on Sunday. Find them online at www.lumpkinsbbq.com or at 601-373-7707. – GJB