DETROIT – A former NBA all-star is making a big investment in Detroit, employing around 100 people at his new soul food restaurant.

Three-time all-star with the Phoenix Suns and former Mayor of Sacramento, California, Kevin Johnson, is the owner of Fixins Soul Kitchen.

The restaurant is located at 1435 Randolph St. in downtown Detroit in the historic Paradise Valley neighborhood near Comerica Park and Ford Field.

“Your community is special. It’s a beautiful community,” said Johnson. “I said if we can be a part of Detroit’s comeback and the renaissance of Paradise Valley and Black Bottom, that would be amazing.”

This area was once a booming business district and entertainment center in the 1920s through the 1950s, and home to the thriving Black residential neighborhood known as Black Bottom.

Johnson says it was Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan who helped him find the right spot for his restaurant.

“Bedrock flew us out here four years ago and they had all these buildings and places for us to go. I liked them, but I didn’t find my home run spot. I had dinner with the mayor and he said you need to go to Paradise Valley.”

“They told us about this concept for Fixins and I said, I don’t know why you’re looking around town,” said Mayor Duggan. “I said we have the remnants of Paradise Valley that we are going to rebuild in a way that honors that heritage.”

The interior of the 8,400 square-foot restaurant, which seats 325, pays tribute to Detroit and its Motown roots with historic photos and artwork.

The menu features some of Johnson’s family recipes with dishes like fried chicken, oxtails, gumbo, shrimp and grits, deep fried deviled eggs, chicken and waffles, biscuits, corn bread and more.

“My grandma is from the South, along with other family members and we’ve got recipes. So, I felt like I could do a really cool soul food spot,” Johnson told MLive. “Everything is from scratch and from family recipes.”

Johnson founded Fixin Soul Kitchen in 2019. The Detroit location is the largest among his three other spots in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Tulsa. The Detroit restaurant is now open daily for dinner.