52 April 2022
Above, Michael and Marilyn Henley welcome diners
to their namesake soul food restaurant on Murchison
Road.
Left, Jane Smith of Jane Cakes and Things creates
unique cakes from scratch. Individual slices are
scooped up at Henley's Vintage Kitchen.
Between the bustling dining room and to-go orders being
expedited by the Henleys' daughter, Shanecia Taylor, the
place is hopping with joy and all forms of humanity.
"We want to make sure that people are not strangers when
they leave and it feels like home to them," Shanecia says.
Even at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, the parking lot is packed with
Mercedes, Beamers, SUVs and pickups. An outdoor dining
patio is taking shape, just in time for spring. Local business
leaders walk in, along with college students, soldiers in
fatigues and several clergymen who get seated at a long table.
ey may not be solving the problems of the world, but one is
talking in spirited tones while the others listen intently, which
only adds to the feeling of community within these four walls.
e dining room is minimally rustic with wood touches,
centerpieces of cotton picked from local fields that's been
tucked into glass carafes, and antiques discovered by the
Henleys, including a vintage Victrola in one corner. Sweet tea
and lemonade are sipped from Mason jars.
