T.I. and Killer Mike are moving forward with their plans to revive a staple eatery in Atlanta’s Bankhead area.
Three years after announcing plans to reopen Bakhead Seafood, the two rappers and Atlanta natives have secured a $1.2 million loan from Greenwood Bank, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. The loan T.I. and Mike received from the Black and Latino-focused banking platform is aimed at supporting the restaurant’s growth and investing in the surrounding community.
Now with financial backing, the rappers expect to reopen Bankhead Seafood by the second quarter of 2024 and return to serving its signature dishes to locals and visitors.
“Today’s investment serves as a profound testament to the broader vision we’ve cultivated at Bankhead Seafood,” Clifford “T.I.” Harris said.
“It’s exciting to join forces with leaders like Greenwood—whose commitment to uplifting the community echoes our same ethos. This is an exciting moment in our community’s work to foster a legacy of mutual prosperity and support.”
Greenwood’s loan is backed by the Georgia Banking Company, and is described as marking a “pivotal moment in the growth of Bankhead Seafood, a restaurant deeply rooted in the local community.”
“This is a transformational milestone for our business, and the broader Southwest Atlanta community,” Michael “Killer Mike” Render said in a statement.
“I extend my deepest appreciation to Greenwood and GBC, whose partnership today provided us with the resources we need to kickstart Bankhead’s future and re-build a community gem.
Bankhead Seafood closed down in 2018 after more than 50 years in operation. The eatery was renowned among Atlanta locals with T.I. and Killer Mike saying the restaurant held a special place in their hearts.
One year after it shut its doors, T.I. and Killer Mike teamed up to purchase the business in 2019, along with its name, trademark and recipes, WSB-TV reports. The pair released renderings showing what the new Bankhead Seafood would look like and in 2021, they filed building permits to revive the historic restaurant.
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