SHIVELY, Ky. (WDRB) — A former bar in Shively has reopened as something very different: a restaurant with no alcohol and a mission rooted in recovery.
Crystal's Country Diner South, located at 3309 Camp Ground Road, opened its doors Monday, offering classic down-home cooking alongside second chances for men and women rebuilding their lives after drug and alcohol addiction.
The diner employs 18 people in recovery through a partnership with Recovery Now, a treatment program that helps participants transition back into the workforce.
For Leea Kustes, the opening marked a fresh start.
"They asked if I needed a job," Kustes said. "I came in here and helped clean up, and they liked how I cleaned, so they offered me a job."
The diner is owned by Crystal Young, who also operates a location in Mount Washington. The new restaurant, however, carries a deeper meaning. Young lost her son to drugs four years ago and said the business is her way of giving back.
"It’s more important than just me," Young said. "It’s not about me. It’s about what I can offer to these young people that are going through this time in their life."
The building once served alcohol. Now, Young said, there isn't a single drop on the premises — replaced instead by comfort food, compassion and encouragement.
"They’ve been through a lot," she said. "A lot."
Benny Blanco, with Recovery Now, said opportunities like this can be critical for people completing treatment.
"Someone finishes a program and they’re able to get into a field and have a second chance at life and being a productive member of society," he said. "That’s amazing."
Young said she views the diner as a stepping stone, not a final destination, for many of her employees.
"If someone comes to me and says, 'I found a better job,' I praise them," she said. "I thank God that they’re moving on."
For Kustes, the support has already made a difference.
"It’s helping me a lot," she said. "It’s like a big 'ole family. They've already been through it, so they can coach you through it. It's awesome, really."
Crystal's Country Diner South is open seven days a week.
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