The first Black woman to start the first Black-owned liquor license-holding supper club is breaking new ground and paving the way for those to follow.
Nia Grace is the founder of Grace By Nia, a 5,000-square-foot charming, modern-day supper club that puts a new flair and charm to what supper clubs were known to be. Boasting a laid-back, fanciful soul-infused menu, the attractive speakeasy lounge also showcases an intimate stage for live jazz music and aims to bring a brand new cultural vibrancy to Boston’s Seaport.
In an interview with Black Enterprise, the entrepreneur said that she still cannot believe she has been able to accomplish the remarkable feat.
“It feels trivial to say this, but it feels amazing and pretty unbelievable that I was able to attain a liquor license as a Black woman in the Seaport,” Grace said.
She further added that much of her success can be attributed to the support she received from the community, which helped to make the place “where soul meets the seaport,” and has since become “Boston’s best restaurant with live music.”
“After opening, I have been continuously inspired by the overall reception, after 30 days of being opened we were named Boston’s best restaurant with live music and have exceeded our quarterly revenue projections,” Grace explained.
Before Grace By Nia came to be, the businesswoman founded and led Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen and The Underground Cafe. Inasmuch as the establishments were successful, being a Black woman brought along hurdles, considering she works in a male-dominated industry, she said.
“As a woman I had to become OK with taking an unpopular stance and rubbing people the wrong way in order to be heard and get out of my own way and be uncomfortable,” she said.
She further added that she used to struggle with “standing strong and taking the lead” and has been adamant about “ensuring this space was Black-centered but welcomed everyone.”
“I was very intentional about every piece of decor and menu item to ensure Black culture was felt, seen and heard by anyone who dines at GBN,” Grace said. “It is important that the community understands GBN isn’t just a restaurant but a convening space for music, art, and culture to beautifully collide.”
Since the speakeasy’s launch, reservations have been booked out weeks in advance and has become one of the city’s most highly coveted-places to eat well and unwind.
“Everyone loves the space and music and some are frustrated that we have a 30-day waitlist,” Grace said. “We have already built regulars within three months of being opened.”
