Rikki’s named latest Safe Place site By Fabvienen Taylor
JACKSON — At Rikki’s Coffee and Snack Shop the hot dogs are hot, the ice cream is cold, and the pickles are primed for plucking as time nears for the city swimming pool across the street to open.
“That’s when I get the most kids in here now, since school is out,” said Rymsky “Miss Rikki” Husband, who owns and runs the shop at 2201 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Coffee was more in demand when Husband opened her small business on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Crawford streets in November 2006.
“In the mornings the kids walking to Lanier High School, as well as adults, would stop and get coffee,” said Husband.
The demand these days is for things cool – ice cream, cool pops, soft drinks — along with the usual fare of nachos, hot dogs, chips, candy, fruit, chilli cheese dogs, etc. And coffee is always brewing.
“Business is wonderful, it is taking care of itself,” Husband said.
Husband is returning that care to her young constituents. In June, Rikki’s became the newest Safe Place site in Jackson.
Located in the Georgetown area of City Council Ward Three, the shop joins 34 other stationary and 52 mobile sites in metro Jackson where youth can seek help, according to Edwina Williams, Safe Place coodinator at Our House Shelter, a Catholic Charities program
About 250 youth were aided through Our House Shelter last year, according to Williams.
“We are so happy Rikki’s became a Safe Place site because kids are more likely to ask for help within their own community,” said Williams. The next closest site in the area is Fire Station No. 20 on Medgar Evers Drive across from the Jackson Medical Mall.
Safe Place sites include fast food restaurants, convenience stores, fire stations, libraries and city buses which display the Safe Place sign.
Safe Place connects youth to immediate help and safety and offers supportive services to both youth and their families.
“Mrs. Husband is a wonderful person,” Williams said. “The children who come into her shop have been able to talk to her about a lot of their problems.”
William Bryant, 9, has a personal connection to Husband. “She is a good friend of my mama’s,” said Bryant as he sipped on a Faygo Root Beer at the counter. His favorite snacks are the chili cheese nachos. “I like coming by to get on the computer and play games.”
Tequila McClendon likes the brownies. “I like to hang around and chill out with Lisa (Alisa Watson, Husband’s daughter) and Miss Rikki. And I like to get on the internet,” said the 13-year-old.
Regular coffee drinker Zverian Brent, 15, drops by often. “It’s a place you can come and feel safe,” he said.
Husband lives in west Jackson but grew up in the neighborhood where Rikki’s is located. “I wanted to do more in this community,” she said, explaining how Rikki’s came to be.
“The Lord laid a hand on my heart to leave my job,” said Husband, who worked at a beauty supply business. “I thought about it a lot, prayed about it a lot and started writing down ideas. I had always wanted to have my own business.”
“The Lord sent me over here to give back to this community and the community has embraced me,” said Husband, who is a member of New Horizon Church.
Quickly establishing a reporte with the youth, Husband started hearing about their troubles and concerns.
“One young man came in and said someone wanted to beat him up and he was afraid to go back out. He waited until his older brother came and got him,” Husband said.
On another occassion, a 19-year-old came in after being beat-up. “Her eyes were black (from beating) and she was just out walking on the street. She came in here and asked for something to eat which I gave her. I let her know she could get help, but she just left.”
“So many children would come in here and share their personal feelings. I wanted to be able to steer them in the right direction in a timely fashion,” said Husband.
One day a customer mentioned Safe Place and Husband went online to check it out. She contacted Our House Shelter.
“I talked with Edwina Williams and found out about everything. They educated me about the procedures for handling children and then contacting them,” said Husband.
“I want the children to know this is a place where they can come and someone will come out and help them when they need it,” she said.
Husband’s 23-year-old daughter, Alisa Watson, helps at the business. An older daugter, Rymsky Evans, has started a self-esteem program for young women called Princess Ministries at the shop. Meetings are held in the evening every two weeks.
“The kids around here don’t have cars. They can’t go anywhere so they walk around the neighborhood,” said Husband.
In addition to the youth, older adults walk down to the shop for coffee, newspapers and to chat with Husband. Music from the radio is set on a gospel station, sometimes jazz.
“My older customers like the calm environment. Several come in and it’s like a little social hub for them,” Husband said.
Husband remembers when as a youth she and her best friend, who lives near Rikki’s, walked around the neighborhood.
“I moved away but I’ve always felt connected,” she said. “I never forget this place.”
now, since school is out,” said Rymsky “Miss Rikki” Husband, who owns and runs the shop at 2201 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.