A suspect broke into Tavolino, an Italian restaurant on Shafer Street, Oct. 6. The break-in resulted in a shattered glass door and the theft of a cash box.
Despite this setback, restaurant owner and Athens native Emily Christine is not pressing charges and remains committed to providing free meals for those in need, a mission recently bolstered by community support.
Every Tuesday, Tavolino offers free community meals, ensuring everyone can enjoy a homemade meal regardless of financial circumstances. With an average of 80-150 customers each Tuesday, Christine said she believes this initiative is essential for supporting her community. Each week’s meals cost her approximately $150 to fund.
Christine said she started the community meals intending to pay for it herself but has had help from the Athens community and received many donations to keep Tuesday meals afloat.
“In the grand scheme of things, $150 to do a whole Tuesday lunch isn’t making or breaking me,” Christine said. “But fortunately, I have had help, and it’s been amazing, and everyone has been so supportive.”
The break-in, which involved a chunk of concrete shattering the restaurant’s front door, galvanized community members to support Christine during this challenging time.
Phil Berry, co-owner of Beads and Things, located across the street from Tavolino, said people quickly came to help Christine and her family after the incident.
“Within minutes, people were asking what they could do to help,” Berry said. “She is a wonderful asset to our neighborhood so it doesn’t surprise me all that people turned out like they did.”
A friend of Christine’s shared the news on the Bobcat Parents Facebook page, prompting an outpouring of support from the Ohio University community. The post raised over $800 for Christine’s community meals, enough to fund about five weeks of free Tuesday lunches.
“Everybody has been incredible, everybody, everybody, and it’s been heartwarming,” Christine said. “I’m not going to stop doing these meals because it’s the best day ever.”
Jenna Houpt, a server at Tavolino and Christine’s daughter, rushed to the restaurant the morning of the incident and felt shocked by what had happened to a ‘safe place’ she had grown up in.
Initially feeling anger and frustration, Houpt soon focused on helping her mother stay calm, recognizing that the Athens community played a significant role in helping her remain optimistic.
“The community, they always want to help you, its great,” Houpt said. “They care about everything going on in everyone’s lives, personally and in the restaurant.”
After the incident, Christine said local support helped her restaurant put a temporary fix on the door so she could open for dinner the same night. Two men Christine did not know from the Athens community came with plywood and helped her fit it to the door and clean up the shattered glass.
“Everybody was so nice, people I didn’t even know, taking huge amounts of time out of their day, and not just coming and doing the work, but l caring about me, that was so nice,” Christine said. “I know that Athens is like that, but boy that was a horrible and wonderful day at the same time.”
Despite the challenges posed by the break-in, Christine remains dedicated to her mission of serving those in need. She believes that support from neighbors, friends and even strangers has turned a moment of crisis into an opportunity for connection and solidarity.
“We’re going to keep going,” Christine said. “This is about more than just a restaurant—it’s about helping each other.”
