South Florida restaurant owner struggles to open after financial help delayed, says county’s promises to pay off extra costs go unanswered

A South Florida businessman signed up for financial assistance to help open a restaurant. He says business was booming, but when it was time to pay the tab, he was left with a big bill. 7’s Courtney Allen investigates.

Samuel Gilmore wanted to open a restaurant and create much-needed jobs in Miami-Dade’s Liberty City community, but he ended up with an empty building and an empty wallet.

Samuel Gilmore: “We couldn’t get the money. You run out of air, so to speak.”

In August of 2023, Samuel opened a soul-food takeout restaurant called “Our Papa’s Kitchen.”

Samuel Gilmore: “We had, you know, the barbecue ribs, chicken, chicken baked, we had fried shrimp, fish, snapper, everybody loved the sides. We had a yam that would make you scream!”

Samuel opened his restaurant with help from a Community Development Block Grant from Miami-Dade County. The county gets the money from the federal government.

The grants are awarded to people who develop businesses in minority and low-income areas. Recipients have eight years to open and hire a certain number of workers.

Samuel Gilmore: “It was simple, I’ll be honest with you. We had the plan lined up. This thing solved problems!”

Samuel was awarded $394,156 for his restaurant, Our Papa’s Kitchen.

The first installment came in 2016. He says the second payment was supposed to arrive the next year, but it was late.

Samuel Gilmore: “It was two and a half years delayed to issue the money.”

When Samuel finally got the money in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic struck just months later.

Construction was delayed another two years by COVID-19. Samuel asked for an extra two years to finish the work. Without the extension, he would have trouble meeting his eight-year deadline.

The county said no, which meant he had just a few months to open or be forced to pay back all the money.

Samuel Gilmore: “And we got up as fast as we could because that’s what they asked us to do.”

He says he had no choice but to take out $456,000 in business loans to stick to the county’s deadline.

Samuel claims county officials promised to reimburse him with another grant to cover the loans.

He did get this check for $39,701.91 a month before Our Papa’s Kitchen opened. He says the county ghosted him after that.

The restaurant was a hit for two years. But Samuel says he couldn’t keep up with the loan payments, so he was forced to close.

Samuel Gilmore: “And it just got to the point where it’s like it’s not gonna work. We have to close it down.”

When Our Papa’s Kitchen shut down back in August, a huge sign went up outside the building. Samuel hopes that it gets the county’s attention.

Samuel Gilmore: “Folks called from the community and said, ‘Is there anything we can do?’ I go, ‘No, unless you know the mayor. No, nothing you can do, the damage is done now.’ People gone home, jobs lost.”

7Investigates reached out to the Miami-Dade mayor’s office and the county’s Housing and Community Development Office.

They tell 7News: “The county has held multiple in-person and virtual meetings with Mr. Gilmore. HCD has fulfilled its obligations in accordance with the executed contracts. At this time, there is no contractual obligation requiring HCD to provide additional funds.”

With the restaurant closed, Samuel is trying to find a way to pay off the loans.

Samuel Gilmore: “I started selling off property, personal property that I had that was supposed to be for a retirement environment.”

He’s hoping to lease the building to someone looking to open their own restaurant and create their own recipe for success.

Courtney Allen, 7News.