Haley House Bakery Cafe Reopens In Roxbury With Renewed Social Mission

ROXBURY (CBS) - They call it food with a purpose and after a yearlong shutdown, Haley House Bakery and Café in Roxbury has re-opened its doors with a renewed social mission. The cafe in Nubian Square is open for business again as a place to grab a meal and as a community center.

"Now we're currently revamping the menu, testing out some old favorites and adding some new tweaks," said general manager Misha Thomas.

The cafe is run by a non-profit organization, so the first priority is not always making money.

"We always say that the mission is a passion for food and people," Thomas said.

Open since 2005, Haley House offers job training, programs for kids and a community space for artists and musicians. The food business funds those efforts.

A year ago, they weren't making ends meet so they called a time-out to revamp the business for the long haul.

The building was renovated, new management came in and the menu was reinvigorated while keeping the customer favorites.

"I'm just excited that it's back as a community haven for people," one customer said.

"The food is nothing but love in it," Thomas said. "The people have nothing but love in their hearts and you can see it as soon as you walk in the door."

The cafe will have a grand re-opening celebration Saturday. There's also a Haley House in the South End with a soup kitchen and food pantry.