Shifting gears paid off for entrepreneur Trey Graham.

The Florida State University graduate was focused on creating a better life for his family, so he moved to Cincinnati, OH, in 2019 for a corporate position at Macy’s, according to WLWT-5 and reporting by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“I left my family, my son, and everything I had to come here and try to make a better opportunity for myself and my loved ones,” Graham told WLWT-5.

Soon, Graham was furloughed from the job position during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, not all hope was lost. While living in Ohio he frequently would be looking for Southern breakfast restaurants, without much luck. This inspired him to pursue his true calling, creating his very own Southern breakfast restaurant, 6 ‘N The Mornin’.

The venture was not far-fetched for Graham. He had obtained a business management degree in higher learning and experience working various management positions for top companies, his website mentions.

What’s more, the added touch of having a restaurant dedicated to Southern cuisine was nurtured within his family.

“It’s what I grew up on. My mama, my grandmama, all my people down south, we grew up eating hearty meals,” Graham expressed, according to WLWT-5. “I think that’s what’s been lacking in this community and part of the reason why the business has done so well.”

6 ‘N The Mornin’ launched in a 1,200-square-foot space with six employees, including General Manager Josh Long and Head Chef Taji Poellnitz, and menu offerings such as catfish and grits, salmon croquettes, chicken and waffles, and red velvet waffles.

The restaurant’s original business model was primarily focused on to-go orders, but as demand grew, it became evident that the time had come to broaden and improve the in-house dining experience.

“Customers, on day one, started saying, ‘Hey, this food is too good to be eaten out of to-go plates,'” Graham told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “They wanted a full dining setting …  [and] to pair it with mimosas, liquor and cocktails.”

The restaurant will now be moving to the Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati in the spring of 2024. It’s current location on 7714 Montgomery Road will close on Jan. 28, 2024.

Customers can expect a significantly larger space, totaling 6,582 square feet. Additionally, new menu items are on the way including steak and eggs, lamb chops, and burgers.

“Now we’re here,” Graham told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “A year-and-a-half later, moving and expanding from 1,200 square feet into six times the space. It’s been pretty remarkable.”