New café honoring Dr. Sarah Garland Jones coming to Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A new café is coming to the Sarah Garland Jones Center in Richmond this summer, in honor of Dr. Sarah Garland Jones, who changed the face of healthcare in the city.

The Sarah & Co Café will be a brand-new café in Churchill, honoring the legacy of Dr. Jones and the True Reformers, an organization that became one of the largest and most successful Black business enterprises in Virginia, championing financial independence and community growth in the early 20th century.

Located inside the Bon Secours Sarah Garland Jones Center for Healthy Living, the Urban Hang Suite and the Virginia Black Restaurant Experience partnered to bring the Sarah & Co Café to life, according to an announcement from the café on the morning of Wednesday, March 19. It is set to open early this summer.

“At Bon Secours, we recognize that the factors driving individual and community health extend far beyond the walls of our hospitals—they are deeply influenced by the environments and connections that surround us,” said Becky Clay Christensen, executive director of community health for Bon Secours Richmond. “We are excited to welcome Sarah & Co. Café to the Bon Secours Sarah Garland Jones Center for Healthy Living. This café will not only re-establish a vital community gathering space, but also further honor the legacy of Dr. Sarah Garland Jones, a true pioneer in this community. By providing a place for nourishment and conversation, Sarah & Co. Cafe will help strengthen relationships and contribute to a healthier, more connected community.”

The new business aims to be a space for empowerment, wellness and connection, as well as uplift women of color in the food and beverage industry.

Dr. Jones was the first Black woman licensed to practice medicine in Virginia, becoming a "trailblazer in community health, business, and social advocacy," the announcement reads. She was also one of the founders of the first hospital in Richmond.

The café says more information about what's on the menu, soft opening details and any grand opening festivities will be announced soon.