Buying Back The Block: Help Dulan’s Soul Food on Crenshaw in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES,CA — Dulan’s on Crenshaw, one of Los Angeles’ most beloved Black-owned restaurants, is fighting to secure its future. Owner Greg Dulan is currently working on raising funds to save adjacent properties critical to the business and its expansion.
Greg reopened the Crenshaw Boulevard restaurant in 2024 after a major renovation, purchasing two nearby buildings with plans to convert one into a parking lot and the other into a culinary training and workforce development center. The projects reflect his long-term vision to preserve Black ownership along the historic Crenshaw corridor and expand opportunities for the community.
“I saw the changes occurring in the community, a lot of the properties were being snatched up. I purchased what I could, so that we can continue to have Black ownership on the boulevard as much as possible,” Greg shared.
Read More: https://voiceofblackla.com/dulans-on-crenshaw-fresh-chapter-for-la-soul-food-after-2-year-closure/
The purchase was financed through a hard-money loan. Dulan now faces a balloon payment due Sept. 6. Without funding, he risks losing the properties and jeopardizing the future growth of the restaurant.
“It was important for me to purchase what I could so as the changes occur, I’m still here.”
Greg continued the Dulan family tradition by opening Dulan’s on Crenshaw in 1992. His brother, Terry Dulan, operates Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen on Manchester Boulevard. For decades, the family’s restaurants have drawn generations of Angelenos, along with celebrities and community leaders, who came for dishes such as fried chicken, yams, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler.
That legacy began with Dulan’s parents, Adolf and Mary Dulan, who were social workers before entering the food business. In 1975, they opened Hamburger City in South Los Angeles, followed by a series of restaurants across the city. Together they founded Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch in Marina del Rey, a landmark soul food restaurant that served the community for nearly four decades.
Read More: Community comes together to help support Dulan’s Soul Food, beloved Crenshaw restaurant
After Greg released a video last week asking for community support, the response was swift. Customers packed the restaurant, boosting business and marking one of the strongest weeks in its history. Many came not just for food, but to support a neighborhood institution they see as vital to South Los Angeles and the Crenshaw District.
His campaign is about more than just a restaurant. As gentrification reshapes South LA and development grows along the Crenshaw corridor, Dulan’s fight underscores the broader challenge of protecting Black-owned businesses and cultural anchors.
“I’ve been in this location since 1989 and I love what I do, I love serving the community and I want to serve the community another 20-30 years.”
Community members can donate to support Dulan’s on Crenshaw by visiting the link in the restaurant’s Instagram bio or by going directly to dulansoulfood.com.
