‘The light of the community’: Hundreds gather to remember north Minneapolis restaurateur Sammy McDowell

A beloved Minneapolis restaurant owner was laid to rest on Thursday afternoon.

Sammy McDowell opened Sammy’s Avenue Eatery in 2012, and it quickly became a beacon of hope on the Northside. He died unexpectedly during an April 21 service at his church, Shiloh Temple.

There were yellow bright spots in a sea of sadness at Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis.

“Yellow was Sammy’s favorite color so a lot of people are wearing it,” the Rev. Jalilia Abdul-Brown said. “He was a guy who was the light of the community, light of his family and light of his church.”

Through song and prayer, loved ones tried to find the right words to make sense of the loss.

“I would call my uncle Sammy, and during that conversation, everything made sense. Or I would hug him and everything made sense,” said Michael McDowell, Sammy’s nephew.

Family members said everyone who came in contact with Sammy walked away a better person.

His statewide impact caught the attention of local and state elected officials, including Gov. Tim Walz, who spoke at the service.

Those closest to him said Sammy gave people second chances and invested in the community.

“His infectious smile, his kind demeanor and his open door policy in his eatery that was accessible to all,” Bishop Richard Howell at Shiloh Temple International Ministries said.

Loved ones said they lost a pillar and bright spot in the community, but his legacy will continue to shine on in the spaces he created.

Family members said Sammy’s Avenue Eatery will remain open.

City officials proclaimed March 4 “Sammy McDowell Day” in Minneapolis to remember his unforgettable impact on the community.