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Community Shocked By Death Of Winston-Salem Restaurateur

Prime Tyme Soul Food Cafe is scheduled to reopen on November 27. Credit: Eddie Garcia/WFDD

The community is mourning the loss of Tonya Bess, who owned Prime Tyme Soul Food Cafe.

People are sharing their memories of 51-year old Bess on social media, saying she supported other minority businesses, and was a sponsor of the National Black Theatre Festival. Bess previously co-owned another local restaurant - Nitty Gritty Soul Cafe.

Jonathan Kirby of Winston-Salem eats at Prime Tyme with his father several times a week. He says that Bess made customers feel like family.

“She was somebody who we looked forward to seeing," says Kirby. "Every time I saw her we hugged, I told her I loved her, she told us she loved us. If you brought love into her restaurant, she was gonna match that love, if not exceed it. So, I think she'll just be remembered as a caring, really hospitable person with a big heart. No one could replace her.”

Bess was found a few hours before the restaurant was scheduled to open on Friday, after authorities responded to a 911 call about an unconscious woman. Preliminary autopsy findings have not yielded a determination of cause of death and authorities are awaiting final toxicology results. 

The Winston-Salem Police Department says Bess's death is suspicious in nature and they are following up on multiple investigative leads.

Eddie Garcia is WFDD’s News Director. He is responsible for planning coverage, editing stories, and leading an award-winning news team as it serves the station’s 32-county listening area. He joined WFDD as an audio production intern in 2007 and went on to hold various roles, including producer, Triad Arts Weekend co-host, reporter, and managing editor. When he’s not working, Eddie enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, and watching films.

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