Hard Fought Five Years Should Be Applauded: Charles Washington & Charlow’s Grill

Above: Charles Washington (left) with Jessi, his father

Written by William Bryant Rozier

Charles Washington is a self-proclaimed product of the Oxford St./Hessen Cassel Rd./Wayne Trace area, so much so it felt as natural and easy, like breathing is easy, when he located his soul food restaurant, Charlow’s Grill, five years ago, at 3103 Oxford St., Fort Wayne, IN 46806.  When Washington played little league at McMillen Park, across the street from Charlow’s, his family lived at McCormick Apartments right down Hessen Cassel.  His family has also lived on Adams Street, in the same vicinity.

He remembers going to Big Al’s Burgers at Lafayette and Pontiac. And the famous Rib Cage, where he watched as a kid how owner LP “Larry” Forté “did something good for the neighborhood,” he said.

When Washington started Charlow’s, he recalled, “I wanted to provide something that our community didn’t have,” which was a viable, open (almost every day) restaurant option.  (RMY’s Restaurant, around the corner from Charlow’s, is only open over the weekend.)

He didn’t play baseball in high school; his sports were football, basketball, and track.  He’s 54 now…that usually means in this town that for a dude if you played high school athletics, you played against Snider High’s all-everything Rod Woodson.  Snider-alum Washington played with him and all of those guys.

 Washington said he always had that entrepreneur bent.  When a back injury while on the job at Norfolk Southern sidelined him, he went right to that business-owner instinct.  Charlow’s wasn’t even his first restaurant dance; his Ordeals on Pontiac also sold soul food.

Charlow’s is family-owned and operated; Washington’s father Jessi and his wife Lavonia also works there. It was built from the ground up; “it was nothing here, but a slab of concrete…I think it used to be an appliance place,” said Washington about the building that now houses his restaurant that came together without any loans from a bank (cause those are hard to get for soul food restaurants) or any grants from entrepreneur programs.

His first year was the hardest…a lot of no-customer days, “a lot of losing money.”  Charlow’s turning point, to a place of respectable viability, didn’t really come until the two-and-a-half year mark.  “I’m not going to say we turned it all around, but we got a clientele now,” Washington said.  “A lot of people like the product…the food keeps them coming back.”

It’s all the staples of soul food, but Charlow’s sells more fish than anything, Catfish, particularly.  Charlow’s gets more carryout orders than anything, like 80% more Washington estimated, but there are booths for a sit-down experience.

But soul food restaurants don’t really benefit from marketing; the proof is in the taste, not a commercial.  Washington hasn’t done any advertising in like 3 years, and that was radio.  Charlow’s five-year life has come down to the taste, to the loyal base who’ve come to rely on the consistency of their community man.

Charles Washington, Owner | Charlow’s Grill

3103 Oxford St.

Fort Wayne, IN 46806

260.745.8313

Charlow’s Grill staff: Lavonia Washington, Owner Charles Washington, Jessi Washington, and Amari Muhammad