Advice & Whiskey with Lyle Foster

Dr. Lyle Foster, owner of Big Momma’s Coffee & Espresso Bar, Q Enoteca Event Center and Queen City Soul Kitchen and associate professor of sociology at Missouri State University., talks juggling responsibilities, go-to orders and local community.

Biz 417: What’s your workday like?
Dr. Lyle Foster: Seven days a week for starters. I usually like to come to Big Momma’s first thing in the morning, and then to the university. Then I do a couple errands and back to the university. So it’s kind of all interspersed throughout the day. And it goes until about 8 o’clock at night. I tell people, once you get me, you’ve got me, for as long as it takes. So that’s kind of my work style.

Biz: How do you juggle it all?
L.F.: The businesses are like part of my being. Big Momma’s is my lady friend. Big Momma’s—that’s my heart. That’s how I look at the businesses. They are part of who I am. And then teaching at Missouri State—I love that—but that’s what I do. One is who I am. One is what I do.

Biz: What is your go-to order at Big Momma’s?
L.F.: Twelve-ounce oat milk mocha with one shot of amaretto flavor, extra hot, decaf espresso.

Biz: What is your favorite order at Q Enoteca?
L.F.: A couple drops of merlot.

Biz: What is your favorite thing at Queen City Soul Kitchen?
L.F.: A couple spoonfuls of homemade peach cobbler, because that will make you slap your pappy!

Biz: Do you have any fun stories from the early days at Big Momma’s?
L.F.: I used to work behind the counter in those days. And one day, a local gentleman came in and ordered one soda and a quickie. So I’m helping him, and I’m trying to be respectful. I’m like, ‘Lord, give me that interpretation here, because I know we don’t have that on the menu. I didn’t know what to ring up, and I didn’t want to correct him,’ but I said, ‘You’d like a quiche, sir?’

Biz: How would you describe your community?
L.F.: Well, my heart community is a faith community because that’s very important to me, and I’ve got some very significant people in my life. But I also really embrace a larger community of my neighbors and my friends. I’m very passionate about city government and what our leaders do or do not do. That affects the entire community. I feel like as a citizen, I am involved. My mother taught me to be involved. I care about what happens to our community, I care about what happens to Commercial Street, and that’s my larger community.

Biz: Tell us about creating Springfield-Greene County African American Heritage Trail.
L.F.: I’m a bit of an outlier. When I came here, the reality of some things about Springfield fascinated me. One was the very small percentage of people from racial and ethnic backgrounds, other than white. And I was really intrigued by that. Along with MSU colleague, Dr. Tim Knapp, we embarked on a project called “The Journey Continues,” which looks at the history of the African-American community in Springfield. We did interviews and a lot of research, and I would hear these stories and I thought we needed to chronicle them. I also wanted to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of this community, despite the odds. I started talking to people and they told me it was a good idea. The development of the Heritage Trail has been very rewarding, and it continues to surprise me that people have been so supportive of the trail.

Biz: Do you have a hobby?
L.F.: I think my hobby is people. Getting to know people, getting to find out what makes them tick. What are their highs and lows and how to support being in relationship with them.

Biz: What is something you’re proud of?
L.F.: I’m going to be corny and just say my kids. I don’t like to take credit for anything.

Biz: Does anything scare you?
L.F.: The divided nation.

Biz: What are three words that others would use to describe you?
L.F.: Passionate, caring, busy.

Biz: What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
L.F.: Out of control.