This Macon restaurant offers more than its chilly namesake and feeds the homeless

Macon natives Vequita and Rodrico Gore always dreamed of owning their own business.

The couple also wanted to give back to their community, and they have a heart for the homeless.

Vequita, 39, is a nutrition manager for Bibb County schools. Rodrico, 40, is a former U.S. Navy engineer who works at Graphic Packaging. She grew up in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood, and he’s from the Houston Avenue area of south Macon.

They decided to start with a food truck and selected a site at 3271 Houston Ave. to serve as their base of operations.

But when going through the permitting process, a health inspector noted that the building was already fully equipped with a kitchen and suggested they consider opening a restaurant as well, Vequita Gore said.

They jumped at the chance.

With the paperwork already in the name of the food truck, they kept the name Party Ice and opened their family-owned and operated restaurant last summer, she said.

The walk-up only restaurant offers smoothies, shaved ice and a variety of take-away foods from pork chop to chicken to hamburger baskets to hot dogs, nachos and wings to ham, turkey, shrimp and chicken salads.

Here are a few of their most popular menu items:

• G-burger Basket — Steak burger loaded with two cheeses, bacon and spice between a bun with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup and mayo and served with fries.
• Nasty Dog — All beef hot dog, chili, cheese, sauce onions, shredded cheese and sweet relish.
• Porkchop Basket — Deep fried pork chop sandwich with lettuce and tomato served with friends.
• Loaded Cheese Fries — Choice of chili, shrimp, bacon or chicken layered on top of fries with cheese.

“You can create your meal,” Gore said. “If I have it, then I’ll create it for you.

“I think that’s what most people like about it. They’ll say, ‘Well, do you have a chicken melt? No, but I can make it.’”

The restaurant also serves breakfast on Saturdays only.

Additionally, they offer catering through the restaurant, and they’ll set up their food truck on sunny days or for events to sell their shaved ice.

All in the family

Their children and a niece help at the restaurant when they’re not in school.

“We want to let our kids know that anybody can do anything — just put your mind to it,” Vequita Gore said. “You don’t have to just work for everybody/anybody.

“One day if you want to work for yourself, become an entrepreneur. You have to lead. .. I think by us leaping out there, doing what we’re doing now, that gives them the courage and motivation.”

Daughter Ta-Shayla Johnson, 19, and niece Egyptiana Henley, 17, sometimes open the business.

“They look forward to coming here every day,” Gore said. “Some days I’m not even here. They’ll come and open … I call them the bosses.”

The oldest son, Robert Berrian, 18, who’s a freshman at Howard University, handles the payroll and all the finances.

“I call him the HR,” Gore said.

Their middle son, Rodrico Gore, takes out the restaurant trash. The youngest son, DeShawn Gore, wants to help, too.

“Once he sees my little 8-year-old Rico pushing out the trash, he tries to help, and he pushes the trash can and he gets mad because they won’t let him push. But he’s only two,” Vequita Gore said.

Feeding the homeless

The Gore family routinely takes food over to the Daybreak Center, where the homeless are provided with a safe place to rest and access to laundry facilities, health treatment and other services.

They also take food monthly to the Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia’s shelter for women and children.

And they’ve walked around the community, inviting those in need they meet to come to the restaurant for a free meal.

Because God has blessed them, Gore said they want to bless others.

Their children also enjoy helping others.

One will suggest, “ ‘Let’s go see people downtown.’ So, we’ll close early and go feed people downtown,” Gore said of visiting the Daybreak Center. “Sometimes we give more food away then we sell.”

The Gores don’t advertise, but rely primarily on word of mouth. Her husband is also known in the community, having played sports in high school..

“The community has embraced us and showed us so much love,” she said.

While working in and serving the community, the Gores noticed a need for affordable clothing.

They’ve decided to open up a retail store, The Family Closet, at 3245 Houston Ave. to serve the needy by offering gently-used clothing. They haven’t set an opening date yet for their store.

Recently, Vequita Gore was recognized as the “Young Entrepreneur & Professional of the Week” by The Macon Middle Georgia Black Pages for her business and service to the community.

“She works extremely hard to bring hope and great food to the Houston Avenue area,” the publication stated in part. “Vequita Gore is a great example of a superwoman.”

The recognition was affirming.

“My husband actually framed it and put it up because I was surprised for someone to say, ‘Hey, you’re actually a superwoman. I don’t see myself as that. But they let me know I was doing something right family wise, in my workplace and in my community.”

Operating hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday. The number is 478-812-2953.

This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 12:16 PM.