Popular Durham food truck Soul Forking Good will soon be transitioning to its first brick-and-mortar location. Owners Dominique and James Turner recently signed a seven-year lease for the approximately 1,500 square foot space at 2500 Meridian Parkway, Suite 135, which was previously home to Chef Chiks Bakery. Pickett Sprouse Commercial Real Estate Broker Noah Morrell represented the Turners in securing the lease.
The new restaurant will continue serving the traditional Southern soul food that has made Soul Forking Good a local favorite for the past four years, including cornbread, mac and cheese, collard greens, chicken wings with mumbo sauce, turkey wings, and meatloaf. The location will offer takeout service with limited dine-in seating and will allow for the expansion of the Turners’ already thriving catering business.
“This property was ideal for several reasons,” said Noah Morrell. “As a former bakery, most of the equipment needed for a restaurant was already in place. With approximately 1,000 square feet dedicated to kitchen space, it provides the perfect balance of prep area and storage that the Turners needed to expand their catering operations while maintaining a manageable rent payment for their first permanent location.”
Soul Forking Good has built a devoted following while operating as a food truck in a fixed location at 2301 S. Miami Boulevard in Durham since 2021. The food for the catering side of the business was prepared at a local commissary.
“Moving into a permanent space allows us to dramatically increase our preparation capabilities,” said Dominique Turner. “Instead of being limited to prepping for two days at a commissary kitchen, we can now prepare for an entire week. This new kitchen gives us the space we need to expand our catering services, which we expect to grow from about 20% of our business to 50%, while continuing to serve our loyal takeout customers.”
The restaurant is located in a growing area of Meridian Parkway surrounded by large offices, busy traffic counts, and diverse businesses. The convenient location near where the food truck operated will allow Soul Forking Good to maintain relationships with existing customers while expanding its reach.
The Turners plan to continue operating the Soul Forking Good food truck for special events while using the new brick-and-mortar location as the primary base of operations. The restaurant is expected to open in mid-summer.