You can now treat yourself to breakfast and lunch from T Street Eatz at the Central Library.
The cafe, which opened June 9, will serve drinks, pastries, sandwiches and pizza. It’s the first cafe in the library in over two years.
Tasha “Chef T” Claytor and her business partner, LaMont Reeves, started T Street Eatz in 2020.
The duo saw an opportunity to open a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the two were experiencing financial hardship.
Reeves got sick and Claytor had to take on other jobs, like driving for Uber and Lyft, to support her family and put their daughter through college.
Claytor’s grandmother also died during this time. Later, she listened to a voicemail from her grandmother, who raved about her cooking, which gave her the spark to open their food business. In August 2020, T Street Eatz opened as a pop-up at the City Market.
They stayed at City Market until it closed in February 2024. Since, they’ve operated as a catering business.
“We had small loans, but, you know, we did bootstrapping. We did this with donations, family help and support,” Claytor said.
Elizabeth Schoettle, the library’s director, said there was a competitive bidding process in 2024. Each vendor presented a few signature dishes for the selection committee to taste. Out of five vendors, T Street Eatz was selected.
“They just wowed us with their food and personality. We kind of felt their experience at the City Market really translated to what would fit here at the library,” Schoettle said.
She said now T Street Eatz allows the library to be able to fully serve people again.
Some of the items library patrons can purchase include cinnamon coffee cake, banana pudding, chicken salad sandwiches, turkey sliders and coffee.
There are also vegan and gluten-free options. Prices range from $3-$15.
“We’re here to make money, but the overall goal is to show people, don’t give up on your dream. Many times we were told, ‘No.’ This is a testimony to this. Keep on going, keep striving,” Claytor said.
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Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.
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