{"id":232309,"date":"2025-09-16T22:11:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T22:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/232309\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T22:11:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T22:11:13","slug":"los-angeles-rallied-around-dulans-on-crenshaw-but-the-restaurant-isnt-out-of-the-woods-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/232309\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles Rallied Around Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw, but the Restaurant Isn\u2019t Out of the Woods Yet"},"content":{"rendered":"

For months, Gregory Dulan has lost sleep over his South Los Angeles soul food spot, Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw<\/a>. In late August, he announced that his 33-year-old soul food restaurant was struggling and launched an online fundraiser to save it<\/a>. Days after making a public plea for support, Dulan was met with an outpouring of it from the Los Angeles community and beyond.<\/p>\n

Dulan tells Eater that, in recent weeks, he\u2019s met visitors from Bakersfield, Santa Clarita, and Palmdale; in late August, chef Roy Choi visited<\/a>. Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw has been breaking projected food sales goals; Dulan has hired three new employees in recent weeks, and business is up more than 40 percent. \u201cPeople are coming out,\u201d he says. \u201cI served a young lady from Russia and another from Argentina yesterday. We have a party of 100 coming, and I don\u2019t know where I\u2019m going to sit everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw is one of Southern California\u2019s longest-running soul food restaurants. It opened in 1992, serving classic dishes like smothered pork chops, fried chicken, collard greens, and candied yams. Dulan was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2023. Throughout the decades, Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw has become an essential part of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\"Fried<\/a><\/p>\n

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cabbage at Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw. Wonho Frank Lee<\/p>\n

In 2018, the neighborhood around Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw was in the midst of a massive redevelopment as multiple projects broke ground at the Crenshaw Corridor<\/a> (the slim stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard that meanders through West Adams, Baldwin Hills, and Leimert Park), including a new Metro line and the 1.3-mile-long open-air museum Destination Crenshaw<\/a>. Dulan recalls housing and new developments being built at a rapid rate, which diminished street parking capacity, a crucial element for his restaurant and the neighborhood; Dulan says that 40 percent of his customers are seniors who drive. In 2020, Dulan hoped to secure a million-dollar facade improvement grant from city councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson\u2019s district. He didn\u2019t receive it, but realized that he needed to upgrade the dated interior.<\/p>\n

In 2021, Dulan closed his restaurant for a two-year renovation. \u201cWith the construction of the K-Line and other developments, I knew what was coming: other new restaurants,\u201d he told Eater in 2023. \u201cI knew that I needed to upgrade the dining room to keep up with the Joneses and be fresh.\u201d He also purchased two adjacent properties on the block with the intention of building a parking lot.<\/p>\n

Dulan took out short-term, high-interest loans to cover the costs of the interior remodel and parking lot development. But the borrowed funds dwindled sooner than he expected. \u201cWe ran out of money and couldn\u2019t finish the parking lot,\u201d says Dulan. \u201cI was expecting certain funding that I didn\u2019t get. Everything cost way more than I thought, and it sort of drained my liquidity. I had to finish the construction because I believe in the restaurant that much. We don\u2019t have many sit-down restaurants in South LA.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw reopened in late 2023 with an expanded dining room, multiple kitchens, and two patios. The expanded presence was a hit with families, especially the Sunday post-church crowd. Local organization turned to Dulan\u2019s to host events \u2014 Lauryn\u2019s Garden, a self-care collective, even hosted a yoga class on the rear patio.<\/p>\n

Dulan expanded the restaurant\u2019s business by collaborating with Vallarta Supermarket to offer heat-and-serve meals in stores. As business grew, Dulan purchased another nearby property that he uses as a warehouse. \u201cThe building is the future,\u201d says Dulan. \u201cIt will be my future production and training kitchen. We\u2019ve already outgrown it because of the business with Vallarta.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the outpouring of support has been promising, Dulan says the restaurant is not out of the woods yet. In recent weeks, he has renegotiated the terms of his loan and received an extension on making a balloon payment. The fundraiser remains open and has currently raised $21,273.34, with a $500,000 goal to cover loan repayments.<\/p>\n

Still, Dulan remains optimistic about the restaurant\u2019s future even amid his current challenges. \u201cWe\u2019re going to weather it. I\u2019ve been in business since 1989, and I have weathered storms and challenges,\u201d he says. \u201cThis is tough because it forced me to go public. I\u2019m so glad I did, because I could never have anticipated the support. By supporting Dulan\u2019s, they\u2019re supporting all of Crenshaw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

A corner view at Dulan\u2019s on Crenshaw in Los Angeles. Wonho Frank Lee<\/p>\n