Face Time With... Soula Bahramis

DeKALB – Despite being somewhat of a local celebrity, Soula Bahramis was always modest about her family owning one of DeKalb’s most popular restaurants.

Bahramis, whose family are part owners of The Junction, works as a public health nutritionist with the DeKalb County Health Department.

She recently spoke with reporter Andrea Azzo about the family business and her current job.

Azzo: What kind of work do you do with the health department?

Bahramis: I work for a federal nutrition program called the Women, Infants and Children program, which assists low-income families by providing nutrition counseling, health education and food supplementation. Enrollment is based on income. Women who are pregnant or children under 5 years old are eligible to become clients.

Azzo: Do you still help your family at The Junction?

Bahramis: I have in the past, but I'm not an employee. I helped as a hostess, and I helped with some menu planning and cleaning.

Azzo: What was it like being raised in DeKalb?

Bahramis: It was very quiet and peaceful. There was more of a community feeling. I'd walk into the restaurant, and people knew who I was. They may not have known my name, but they knew me as a family member. Belonging to a family-run business, you're recognized by name or by face.

Azzo: Considering you work at the health department, have you made any changes to The Junction's menu?

Bahramis: We have, in the last five years, added healthier options like salads and low-fat meals. Everybody's interested in being healthier now, too. We have freshly squeezed orange juice as a healthier beverage option. A lot of the stuff is homemade, like the muffins and desserts. They're less processed.

We haven’t made too many changes to the menu. With the economy, you’re restricted by what you can do. Maybe the changes to the restaurant are how to improve things with technology. They still use an old-school register, which originally belonged to the restaurant when it first opened. It’s about how to keep up with the times.

Azzo: Will you take over ownership of the restaurant?

Bahramis: No, three of my siblings and my cousins work there. My father retired because of health reasons. It's very family-run. [My brothers] started young in high school, perhaps in hopes of taking over one day. I think they decided to do different tasks. In the meantime, they're still helping out with the business.

Azzo: What's it like with your family owning one of the most well-known restaurants in town?

Bahramis: It has been a blessing being able to live in DeKalb and have a restaurant that's provided for the family at the same time. To be a local restaurant and part of the community, we support other local businesses as well. People would see us go out to eat at other places and say, "Oh, why don't you go to your restaurant?" We say, "We have to spend our dollars as well." It's a restaurant and a building, but more, it's like a family member.