Cafe Hope

We live in fractured, divided times where sometimes even simple
facts about basic reality are too much for folks to agree on.
Partisan politics, social media and the internet serve to divide
us and keep us apart. And experts tell us all the time that even
though we’re more digitially connected than ever, we’re
paradoxically more isolated and lonely.


How do we address this complex challenge? On this edition of Out
to Lunch, Stephanie is visiting with two community-engaged local
entrepreneurs, one focused on bringing people together, the other
on helping them heal.


Sean Braswell is owner of Simple Joe Café, a mid-city diner that
serves breakfast and lunch and has positioned itself since
opening in 2015 as a community gathering spot. The kind of place
where neighbors meet up for home-cooked meals or friends meet
weekly for coffee, and just linger and visit in a warm friendly
atmosphere.


Sean began his professional career in the military, serving in
the Marines and the Navy simultaneously, later went into sales
and mortgage brokering, then nursing. Neither was the right fit.
Along the way, he worked as a waiter and eventually worked his
way up to head staff trainer at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse here in
Baton Rouge. And that’s when he realized that opening a
restaurant might be the thing.


In the years since it’s opening, Simple Joe has regularly topped
the lists of people’s choice awards, like Best of 225.


When he’s not busy at the restaurant, Sean believes in
volunteering and giving back to the community he loves so
much. 


Amanda Hargrove is Director and Chief Financial Officer of Hope
Community Services, a mental health services agency that provides
individual and family therapy, medication management, psychiatric
support and treatment to children and adults.


Hope primarily serves people in East Baton Rouge parish, though
in the years since Covid it has branched out to offer telehealth
services as well, which has enabled it to reach a broader service
area.


Amanda and her partner in Hope, Monica Parker, founded the agency
in 2014. 


Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the
Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo
and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la.


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