Restaurants lost one of their own in John Henderson.
Now they're doing something to help police find his killers.
More than 60 local restaurants are scheduled to participate in a "dine-out" on Wednesday to help raise the monetary tip reward to catch the robbers who shot and killed Henderson, a Grant Park bar worker who had deep roots in Atlanta's restaurant community.
Henderson, 27, was shot to death Jan. 7 in a closing-time robbery at Standard Food & Spirits, a popular hangout on Memorial Drive.
His murder remains unsolved.
As of Friday, the reward for tips leading to an arrest in Henderson's murder stood at $22,045.
The largest-ever reward pot in Crime Stoppers' two-year history is $27,500, for the January 2008 shooting deaths of DeKalb County police officers Eric Barker and Ricky Bryant.
Organizers are confident they will help create a new all-time high.
"We will easily exceed that record, which I think will be a good thing," said local restaurant owner Rich Chey, who helped organize the dine-out.
Called "Dine Out for a Safer Atlanta," the event has other objectives, too, Chey said. One is to contribute to the grass-roots movement to improve police services in Atlanta. Patrons will have the opportunity to sign a petition expressing dissatisfaction with public safety in the city.
"It's also to send a message to the criminals, 'Hey we're not going to sit back and take it', " Chey said. "We're going to do something about it."
In the coming days, Chey said he hopes to get more restaurants involved. He has organized several other dine-in events, including one after the tornado that swept through Atlanta in March 2008.
Restaurants are asked to donate 20 percent of their proceeds to the Atlanta Police Foundation, the local nonprofit that runs the Crime Stoppers tipline. But any amount will be accepted, he said.
Participating restaurants include:
• 4th & Swift
• 97 Estoria
• Agave
• The Albert
• American Roadhouse
• Atkins Park
• Aurora Coffee
• Beleza
• Blind Willie's
• Bone Garden Cantina
• Brake Pad
• The Bureau
• The Cavern
• Cheyenne Grille
• The Corner Tavern (all locations)
• Cowtippers
• Cuerno
• Dakota Blue
• Dark Horse Tavern
• Diesel
• Doc Chey's Noodle House
• The Glenwood
• Einstein's
• El Myr
• El Taco
• Flatiron
• Food 101
• Fontaine's Oyster House
• Fritti
• Front Page News (Moreland Ave. location)
• Genki Noodles & Sushi
• Grant Central Pizza
• Graveyard Tavern
• Highland Bakery
• Highland Tap
• Holy Taco
• JavaVino
• JCT Kitchen
• Joe's on Juniper
• La Petit Marche
• La Tavola
• Limerick Junction
• Little Azios- East Atlanta
• Mehan's Public House
• Mercantile Specialty Grocer
• Midway Pub
• Milltown Arms Tavern
• Moe's & Joe's
• Nancy G's Cafe
• Neighbor's Pub
• No Mas Cantina
• Northside Tavern
• Octane Coffee
• Osteria 832 Pasta & Pizza
• The Pool Hall (Buckhead)
• Radial
• Raging Burrito
• Ria's Bluebird
• San Francisco Coffee
• The Shed
• Six Feet Under (both locations)
• Sotto Sotto
• Steamhouse Lounge
• Steinbeck's
• Stella Trattoria
• The Standard
• Taqueria Del Sol
• Tin Lizzy's Cantina
• Twain's Billiards & Tap
• U Joint
• Vickery's Bar and Grill (Glenwood Park & Midtown)
• Vortex, Little Five Points
• West Egg
• Willy's Mexican Grill (call for participating locations)
• Zaya Restaurant
— Source: Atlantans Together Against Crime
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
