NL restaurant owners speak out in aftermath of shooting
New London — The owners of Favorites Bistro Bar would like their restaurant to be known for its Sunday brunches or Caribbean-inspired culinary delights - not a random act of violence.
Two years of work to establish themselves on Bank Street might have been dismantled on the evening of Jan. 30 when a gunman opened fire on a patron inside the restaurant. Police described the shooting as a targeted attack.
Restaurant owners Maja, 39, and Ederjson Pierre, 38, had just picked up their two young daughters and arrived at their Ledyard home when they received a phone call about the shooting. Majan said she was in tears.
Aside from the many questions about why the shooting happened and whether anyone was hurt, there was the realization the restaurant might have to close. In a business that's notoriously tough to be successful, a shooting could have been devastating and forced them out of business.
'This was a direct threat to everything we worked for. It was not a good feeling,' Majan Pierre said.
Police said the fact the shooting took place at the restaurant was happenstance. They have since arrested the alleged gunman though his motive is not known.
'It had nothing to do with us but the end result is we suffer. It is our names out there, Ederjson Pierre said.
The two former Norwich residents said that despite a stigma about New London being unsafe, there's no doubt it is a welcoming community. The two have run a successful cleaning business - True Maid Cleaning- in the city and dabbled in real estate for two decades.
Immediately after the shooting, the couple said there was unwavering support for them from the community.
Leaders from the Mystic Chamber of Commerce and Garde Arts Center were among the first to reach out, they said. There were reassurances from numerous neighboring business owners that Majan Pierre said 'reminded us of the strength and unity within our community.'
'Getting those phone calls, messages and people coming in, it all felt very good, Majan Pierre said.
The Pierres said their staff remained resilient and continued to work with passion and professionalism.
Looking ahead, the couple said they'd like to focus more on the unique food and atmosphere Favorites brings to the region. The Pierres, who are Haitian, described the food as a mix of the familiar infused with culture and island flavors. The restaurant's menu features everything from honey jerked chicken wings and oxtail rangoons to coq au vin and braised short ribs.
The restaurant, which features a Passport Dinner series and jazz nights on its waterfront patios, will debut a Saturday brunch on April 5.
g.smith@theday.com
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