There is a little restaurant nestled in downtown Colon, where on any given day you can pop in and have a great meal. Great diner food, amazing home cooked lunch, and dinner specials, such as poutine and grilled shrimp but that’s not the only thing they are serving. Aside from being the only place in town with an espresso machine, Magic Capital Grille doing something else that no other restaurant in Colon is doing. They are celebrating Black History Month.
Nathan Clipell and Allie Kyle opened the Magic Capital Grille on December 1, 2021, and business has been steady. Nathan runs the day-to-day business of the restaurant, while Allie creates the specials, and along with her mother Heather Kyle, makes fresh baked goods daily to sell in the restaurant.
The atmosphere at Magic Capital Grille makes you feel like you are sitting in your mom’s kitchen. Several times during my interview with Nathan he was greeted by friendly patrons sharing news about their day. It is clear how people feel when they visit The Grille. You can see from the look on their faces when they walk in, they are not immune to the homespun hospitality Nathan and Allie bring.
As you walk into the restaurant you will also see three displays celebrating Black History Month. The displays were designed by a local progressive group called Community Equality Resource (CER). CER has worked with Nathan and Allie before, and were greeted with enthusiasm when they asked the restaurant owners if they would put up the displays.
“We treat everyone with kindness,” Clipfell said. “I want to move forward in a new progressive age, and I want everyone to know they are welcome in The Magic Capital Grille and in Colon. As Allie says, we are allies to all.”
One of the displays highlights the accomplishments of someone history has seemingly forgot. Capturing the people of Colon’s fascination with all things magic, the display celebrates Richard Potter. Potter was the first American born celebrity magician, and was known for his astonishing feats of prestidigitation. Overcoming discrimination as a black man in the time of slavery, he remained humble even as he became one of the most well-known magicians of his day. Although he sold out shows to rich white crowds, he was known to hold free shows for children, where anyone was welcome.
Drawing inspiration from one of the displays featuring an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, Clipfell said, “Being silent is just not an option.”
“You have to use your voice. We want to bring light to things people might not see every day. If it makes someone feel uncomfortable, they can choose to exclude themselves, but we are not here to exclude anyone. I want this to be a spot where you can find this type of information. I’m happy to work with CER and any other awareness campaign.”
Magic Capital Grille is located 218 E. State St. in downtown Colon, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Eddie Leboeuf is a union electrician with a love for the outdoors. He resides in Colon where he serves as trustee and pro tem for the Village of Colon.
