1 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber10
Keith Richards, founder of the Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe restaurant chain, speaks at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
2 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber2
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis talks about the work of the Hoover Cop Stop group at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. The chamber awarded a hometown hero award to Brandi Guthrie, who founded the Hoover Cop Stop group.
3 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber3
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis talks about the work of the Hoover Cop Stop group at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. The chamber awarded a hometown hero award to Brandi Guthrie, at right, who founded the Hoover Cop Stop group. Listening at left is chamber President Paul Dangel.
4 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber4
Brandi Guthrie, the founder of the Hoover Cop Stop group, speaks about the group's work at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. The chamber awarded Guthrie a Hometown Hero award. Listening at left is chamber President Paul Dangel.
5 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber5
People eat lunch at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
6 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber6
Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce President Paul Dangel, at left, and interim chamber Executive Director Terry Shea speak at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
7 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber7
People listen to Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce President Paul Dangel at the chamber luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
8 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber8
Lisa Beck of Renasant Bank speaks at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. Renasant Bank was the sponsor for the luncheon.
9 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber9
People eat lunch and listen to speakers at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
10 of 10
Photo by Jon Anderson
201119_Hoover_chamber1
Keith Richards, founder of the Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe restaurant chain, speaks at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commece luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
Keith and Amy Richards started Taziki’s Mediterranean Café in the Colonnade shopping center in 1998 and expanded into a network that now includes more than 90 restaurants in 17 states.
But while spreading their love for made-from-scratch Mediterranean-style food and eating spots, they also found a way to spread hope for students with disabilities, Keith Richards shared with the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce today.
Richards was the keynote speaker for an outdoor chamber luncheon at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
He talked about the beginnings of the Taziki’s restaurant chain and explained how a program to provide jobs for students with disabilities got started.
Richards worked 10 years for Frank Stitt at Bottega in Birmingham before branching off to open his own place in 1998. He and Amy had trouble getting banks to loan them money to start a restaurant, but they finally were able to take out a $50,000 line of credit on their home to get it going.
“We worked hard and made it happen,” Richards said.
After the first Taziki’s was launched in the Colonnade, Richards opened a second location in Mountain Brook and a third in The Village at Lee Branch in Hoover.
Richards served as president of Taziki’s from 1998 to 2012. He then served as chief franchise officer until 2017, expanding the brand across the country and landing Taziki’s on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America.
Richards then returned to manage the flagship market in Birmingham and continues to lead Taziki’s culinary research and development.
But perhaps one of the more unique aspects of the restaurant’s history is its connection to special needs students.
When the Richards were on a cruise to Cozumel and Cancun years ago, they met Cindy Vinson, a job coach for the Shelby County school system who works with children who have special needs.
She convinced Richards to give one of her students a job at Taziki’s, helping out a couple of hours a day. The 18-year-old girl did things like refill the salt and pepper shakers and clean the ribs on chairs, and “we fell in love with her,” Richards said.
Richards found similar jobs for other special needs students in his other restaurants and now provides such employment opportunities at most of the Taziki’s locations across the country and challenges other restaurants to do the same.
He has found that the special needs students bring positivity and a glow to his restaurants, and “they become our family,” he said.
But Richards has taken things a step further. When he learned that some special needs students in Vincent were growing plants in cups, Richards came up with the idea for them to start a full-blown garden in which they could grow herbs and sell them to his restaurants.
It’s a win-win situation, giving him and other restaurants a local source for herbs and the students a way to learn math, agriculture and science skills and earn income for their programs. Richards calls it The HOPE Project, with HOPE standing for Herbs Offering Personal Enrichment.
Richards said the key to success is to work hard and “work harder than the next guy.” But he also tries to remember something his mother taught him long ago, which she called the JOY principle: Put Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last. It’s hard to put yourself last sometimes, but when you do, life will be good, Richards said.
HOMETOWN HERO
The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce also today honored Brandi Guthrie as a “hometown hero” for her work with the Hoover Cop Stop group, which was formed four years ago to bridge a gap between Hoover police officers and Hoover residents.
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis said Guthrie and the Cop Stop volunteers have gone above and beyond to support the Hoover Police Department over the past four years. One of the things they do is serve meals to different shifts of officers on holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, he said. It is especially meaningful to know that they are leaving their families to come feed the Hoover police family on these special occasions, Derzis said.
Guthrie, a 23-year resident of Hoover and registered nurse and case manager for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, said more than 700 Hoover residents have been involved with Hoover Cop, helping show support and appreciation for not only the work that Hoover police officers do, but also officers from other departments.
When officers from other nearby jurisdictions have been killed, Hoover Cop Stop volunteers have sent gift cards and notes of encouragement to those officers’ coworkers and/or families, she said.
