Entrepreneur and pastoral care minister Eddie Owens has transformed a former after-hours hangout into the family-oriented Our Restaurant, located at 3469 N. College Avenue.

"Actually, it was a vision given to me by God and it kindly fit in with the former owners' idea. I lease the building from the McFadden family. When I came to them with a proposal, it was similar to what they were doing. Mainly, what we have is a multi-purpose facility. Upstairs is a dance studio called Lanique Express that is rented out to Ladena Webb, who has a passion for dancing and for youth. There are about 60 kids ranging in age from five to 18 years old that practice different genres of dance on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I would rather see the children upstairs making a little noise than being arrested or out on the street doing something they aren't supposed to be doing," he explained.

Our Restaurant opened on January 16, 2016 after extensive renovations. "We came in the area in October of 2015. My wife, Deola and I are the original owners. Ernie Staten and I started the scope of our work replacing the window panes, completing the plumbing and electrical work. Thomas Braxton and Ernie work in the kitchen. Parking is available across the street. There is some development going on here and we want to be a part of it as we look for investors," Owens said. He owned Get Busy Ribs at the northwest corner of 49th and N. College Avenue from 1992 to 1994. It was voted the #3 BBQ place in a Nuvo magazine poll.

His ministry work is another endeavor. "I work with an advocacy program, the Resource Treatment Center (RTC), that counsels and mentors young men from 14 to 18 years old that have been arrested or are on probation. I hire them and the program pays them to go to work. I teach them the restaurant business - hospitality, customer service, plain old morals, values and responsibility. It's really simple. You grab the kids, show them some love and teach them responsibility. RTC (located at 1404 South East Street), houses homeless young kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because of their parents leaving or abandoning them. One of the things I do is work with them. On Tuesday nights, we have a $5.99 all you can eat special with karaoke. They serve non-alcoholic drinks, work in the kitchen, wait the tables and help me with karaoke from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. I teach them all the same thing - to love another, promote good customer service and hospitality. There are about 12 to 14 kids that come in every Tuesday," he mentioned. On Sundays, they have a $14.99 all you can eat buffet with a drink included. Our Restaurant's most popular menu items are rib tips, a double burger and catfish.

In March of 1995, Owens left a job managing a nightclub and made a new commitment. "I decided to serve my spiritual father the rest of my life and gave up drinking and smoking. I taught at New Era Church for 12 years and went into prayer, which is the best wireless connection."

With the Youth Advocate Program (YAP), he works with young men that are juvenile delinquents in trouble, most of whom are on probation. The program tries to find them jobs. Some are 15 years old and can't work until after school, according to the program's policy.

"I've been with the 10 Point Coalition for 17 years and I've seen different types of programs elsewhere. After they started the local chapter in 1999, I joined since I was already working in evangelization and outreach. I've been talking to young people since 2000. I've traveled within the community quite a bit, but also in the city. What our kids need is pure old fashioned love and jobs. The things they go through in their personal lives - they are belittled, but need to be raised up. In our society, we're trying to make them grow up too fast. They need to be teenagers and may get into mischief every now and then. Yesterday (November 6), they came into the restaurant and did a detailed cleaning when it was closed. It was suggested by their program manager Marshawn Lorry. They attended the New Era Church at 517 West 30th Street and 35 of them gave their lives to Christ. 'Evangelize the loss, edify the save, minister to those in need and be a conscience in the community' is their mantra. Pastor Clarence R. Moore has been my mentor, spiritual teacher and a great example of a father, husband and leader. His wife, Hope, is the same. She loves kids. Pastor Moore has led his congregation for 27 years. I am trying to be all those things to these kids in the community. Seven years ago, an Adopt a Block program began with the slogan, 'Without contact, no impact.'

Our Restaurant provides an open meeting space for discussion with anyone. We don't make decisions based on what is right for people, as some things may be a closed door. We have to do something positive for young people in the community and have an impact with real solutions for real problems when dealing with people's lives," he emphasized.

Owens received a service award from the 10 Point Coalition on November 24, 2013 for his work. His achievements were also acknowledged by Congressman André Carson for completing the Community Leadership Program with the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center in November of 2014. Rep. Carson wrote, "Through this program, you have invested your time, talent and energy to further develop yourself as an effective civic leader. Your hard work and dedication is coming to fruition today as you accomplish a worthy goal."

Several individual profiles of community benefactors can be seen at Our Restaurant. They include former RTV6 News reporter and anchor Barbara Boyd, Crispus Attucks basketball coach Ray Crowe, bicyclist Marshall Taylor, artist William Ryder and race car driver Charlie Wiggins. Their profiles can be found along the Indy Go bus route between the 2500 and 2900 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Drive.

Regular gatherings at Our Restaurant include Citizens Gas retirees meeting the fourth Thursday of every month from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Charles F. Black sings and plays piano during lunch daily. Owens occasionally plays the piano, guitar and drums in the restaurant.

"We're not in competition with Broad Ripple businesses, but would like to network with them and share musicians on a rotating basis. We want to give people a chance to explore the area outside their community," he noted. They recently petitioned the State of Indiana about some property for a community park to honor Charlie Wiggins.

Our Restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from Noon to 9 p.m., Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed Monday. Carry-out orders are offered with a limited delivery area. Discounts are available to law enforcement officers, college students and senior citizens. A banquet hall is available for special events. Inquiries can be answered at (317) 926-5911.

On December 3, 2016, there will be a prayer breakfast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Our Restaurant. Later that day, Owens will cater the Cumberland Festival. He recently catered a tailgate party at Kappa Alpha Psi at Indiana University's Homecoming game across from Memorial Stadium.

Through various local ministries, Eddie Owens has answered a spiritual call in inspiring, and guiding community youth one life at a time in Indianapolis.