Grocery stores and dry cleaning may seem monotonous after a long hard day at work for many, but for PVAMU alumnus Keith Marshall ’97 these are the simple things that pays his bills. In business since September of 2011, Average Joe’s Concierge seeks to take the hassle out of “life’s daily chores “making them both affordable and enjoyable. Average Joe’s Concierge services the downtown Dallas, Texas area allowing customers to select services and grocery items from a website while customizing a delivery time that cuts down the wait for groceries to be delivered to their office or home door. Marshall’s company recently celebrated its first year of service and looks to expand throughout the entire DFW area in the near future. For more information visit https://averagejoesconcierge.com
If there were a recipe for a good life, many of us would make the culinary arts a hobby. But according to Lucille Bishop Smith, owner of Lucille’s Treasure Chest of Fine Foods, all you have to do is take equal parts of kindness, unselfishness and thoughtfulness; mix in an atmosphere of love; add the spice of usefulness; scatter a few grains of cheerfulness; season with smiles; stir in a hearty laugh, and dispense to every member of your family.
This recipe for success has proven true in her great-grandsons, Chris and Ben Williams, who recently opened a charming Southern cuisine restaurant in the Houston. This enchanting eatery appropriately named “Lucille’s” after their great-grandmother, pays tribute to the culinary artist most known for her signature southern recipes and hot biscuit mix.
She was not only an inventor and businesswoman but also served as an educator and is credited with introducing the first college level commercial foods and technology departments in the nation to PVAMU. Smith shared her talents with the PVAMU family for a span of 10 years, serving as an assistant professor of baking. At the age of 82, Lucille's Treasure Chest of Fine Foods was published through her family corporation revealing a wealth of cooking recipes and catering knowledge.
Open since June 1, the restaurant features some of Smith’s most famous original dishes such as gingerbread waffles, hot rolls and chili biscuits.
Author, playwright and PVAMU alumnae Rae-Shell Fletcher ‘00 has turned her passion of domestic violence awareness into a voice that commands attention with the debut of her stage play “Poetry is my Lyfe, Revenge is my Mission.” Adapted from the fiction novel of the same name, Fletcher seeks to reveal the signs of domestic violence and empower those in situations to seek help. For more information about her project visit lyfespoeticrevengemovie.com
