jason & edwinna hurst
jason &
edwinna
hurst
“
At the restaurant, I have more opportunity to ... touch and inspire people. Story by: Jacki Donaldson
Building a Legacy for Their Children on maple street
“
14
In 2012, after working for five years as the video coordinator for former University of Florida Women’s Basketball coach Amanda Butler, Edwina answered a call to move into the ministry. She worked for six years with Alive Church before the invitation to enter the restaurant business arrived. “I was very content in the ministry and had no plans of stepping out,” Edwina said. “I was going to support Jason from the sidelines as I have
Jason Hurst had long wanted to
Edwina Hurst’s bucket list never
done with all of his great ideas. I was
honor his grandmother, who passed
included owning and operating
going to pray for him and encourage
when he was in high school, by
a restaurant, but the Augusta,
him.”
providing an avenue for people to
Georgia, native who played four
But after some soul searching, she
gather and enjoy the comfort of soul
years of college basketball at the
accepted the idea in her heart.
food.
University of Montevallo in Alabama
“I am stubborn,” Edwina said.
But for a while, life got in the
and graduated with a degree in
“I had to step outside the four
way, and Jason, born and raised in
Kinesiology, is no stranger to
walls of what I considered to be a
the west suburbs of Chicago and a
answering God’s call.
ministry. At the restaurant, I have
graduate of Florida A&M University, instead traveled a different path. He worked on Wall Street (loved the job but hated the hours), transitioned into pharmaceutical sales, flexed his entrepreneurial spirit and opened a maintenance contracting business, and then became a real estate agent. He currently works full-time with Front Street Commercial Real Estate Group. He now also owns and operates — with his wife, Edwina Hurst — Gainesville’s two Maple Street Biscuit Company locations, one in Butler Plaza and one in the Tioga Town Center.
