Feeding the community was always in her family’s blood.

From church gatherings to potlucks, Lillian Rambus’ grandmother’s sweet potato pies and other dishes would delight those who were lucky enough to partake.

So when Rambus and her mom, Barbara Collins, teamed up to fulfill their dream of opening a soul food restaurant, Simply Soulful, in Seattle’s Madison Valley in 2014, it seemed a natural fit.

But the dream has proved less than idyllic.

We rightly talk all the time in Seattle about the affordability crisis. The cost of rent, groceries, dining out, ride share for Seattle residents are all some of the highest in the country.

But also caught in the affordability trap are small businesses, particularly ones owned by Black, Indigenous and other people of color.

By every measure, runn

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