Family Behind Five Points Restaurant Shares What Got Them To 20 Years

DENVER (CBS4) - It's received acclaim for being the last soul food restaurant in the Five Points Neighborhood. On Tuesday, the community celebrated Welton Street Café for its 20th birthday.

"Welton Street Café is family. That's the only way I can describe it," said Fathima Dickerson the General Manager of the restaurant. "You're going to get love here."

Family isn't just the feel of the restaurant, there are many Dickerson's who have a hand in making sure the operation runs smoothly from the kitchen to the table.

"Family is everything," said Flynn Dickerson who started his restaurant in 1986. It moved to Welton Street 20 years ago.

"If you treat people right it doesn't matter how they feel if you treat them right. I give people this energy and they like that," he said.

The Five Points Plaza at 27th and Welton was shut down Tuesday night so the Dickerson's could throw a party. But while they celebrate two decades, they know so much has changed around them.

"You have to give thanks to the supporters who have been here. We need them. We would not be here if they weren't here supporting us," Fathima said. "It's a shift in community so when you have new neighbors coming in that you hope you're building those same relationships that were there. I want to meet the people that are here now."

The Dickerson's say they're not going anywhere. New generations are working in the restaurant, and they want to keep serving the people that help make their space a living room.

"Cook good food, be good, it will all come back all the time," said Flynn.

"We're going to be here, I'm going to be here, the patrons want us here, it's going to happen," Fathima said.