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To commemorate the closing of Relish, the beloved West Oak Lane institution
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WHEREAS, Relish, the brunch and jazz favorite from Robert and Benjamin Bynum (also known as the Bynum Brothers), closed in West Oak Lane on Sunday, January 22, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Relish had become a destination for both diners and politicos since its founding about 15 years ago; and
WHEREAS, On Ogontz Avenue in West Oak Lane, Relish became a brunch hot spot and jazz lounge, and it flourished for more than a decade under the management of Bynum Brothers Hospitality Group; and
WHEREAS, According to 6ABC Action News, the Bynum Brothers have long been invested in Philadelphia. In 1990, Robert and Benjamin Bynum opened a live-jazz venue, Zanzibar Blue, that gave food and music equal footing while serving a diverse clientele; and
WHEREAS, The brothers started in the club business learning from their father, Benjamin Bynum Sr., who owned neighborhood bars and founded the Cadillac Club at Broad Street and Erie Avenue in North Philadelphia, which hosted such stars as Gladys Knight and the Pips and Aretha Franklin; and
WHEREAS, In their own words, The Bynum Brothers' focus is "Let's provide the service. Let's provide a good product. Let's make people want to be a part of what we're doing." They developed a concept that there be equal emphasis placed on food and entertainment, allowing both to stand on their own if necessary; and
WHEREAS, The Bynum Brothers first arrived at West Oak Lane as consultants, brought on in 2007 by U.S. Representative Dwight Evans, who was at the time a State Representative hoping the restaurant could help revitalize the neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, According to Billy Penn, a series of prior restaurant concepts had foundered at 7152 Ogontz. Ave., which is still owned by the nonprofit Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corp. But after the Bynums fully took over in 2009, the place became a destination - not just for Southern cuisine and jazz tunes, but for politi...
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