Tim's Place: Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Hugs

By Wendy Widom

Whether you live in Albuquerque or Chicago, who couldn't use a hearty breakfast with a side of hugs?

Twenty-six year old restaurateur Tim Harris is the owner of Tim's Place, a sun-filled eatery known to many as the world's friendliest restaurant.

In addition to its warm and hug-abundant atmosphere, Tim's Place is notable for being the only restaurant in the U.S. whose owner has Down Syndrome.

"When he was about fourteen years old, he told us that someday he was going to own a restaurant," says Tim's dad Keith Harris. "The result is history in the making."

Tim greets visitors to his establishment with a smile, a handshake or even a hug.

He understands how a simple gesture can transform a person's eating experience or day. It's that personal touch that makes Tim's Place unique.

"We are a gift to the world," says Tim Harris, of people with Down Syndrome.

Now that's something to savour.