This is a first-person account by E-T contributor Camilla Potts
On Sunday, December 10th and Monday, December 11th, the owner of Crazy Eats restaurant in Moorhead decided to give back to his community by feeding MDCC’s Lady Trojans. Due to the cafeteria being closed because of school being out for the holiday break, the young ladies still needed to be fed while on campus in preparation for some games. When I asked owner Damarius Pernell why he chose to feed MDCC’s girls basketball team, he humbly replied, “Crazy Eats and MDCC have always had a working relationship. Lots of students, faculty, and staff have always supported this restaurant since its opening. So, when the president and head basketball coach reached out to me, it was a no brainer.”
Crazy Eats is a small, homegrown business. “The restaurant business was something I was always interested in. I just wanted to start small to really learn the business. What better place to start than in my very own hometown,” Damarius shared when I asked him how he ventured into the restaurant business. Damarius was born and raised in Moorhead, MS, to Gloria Ivy and Warren Pernell. He comes from a big family on both sides. He received his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and Doctorate in Chiropractic from Life University in Atlanta. Damarius is a true testament of the saying “Home is where the heart is.” Although he ventured from Moorhead for a few years, Damarius still found himself wanting to be involved in his hometown, in his community.
If any of you are wondering where the name Crazy Eats came from, I was too. When Damarius was initially putting the plan together for his restaurant, he had a list of names that he could have called it, but he decided to go with something that could be understood city, state, or nation-wide. He wanted something that was easily remembered and short and simple. “I wanted the name itself to scream crazy food combination. I wanted the interior of my establishment to also state the same…lots of colors, rustic interior design, and a warm inviting atmosphere,” he chuckled. And that’s how the name Crazy Eats came about. Delicious food can be enjoyed in a welcoming environment with, or without, a group of people.
Even though Crazy Eats is just a small business, Damarius does not shy away from helping and serving others through his business whenever possible. “It’s a blessing to be able to be there for others in a time of need; doing so keeps me humbled and brings me much joy,” he said with a smile on his face. Crazy Eats is open Monday-Saturday from 11am-2pm and 5-9pm. In 2024, the restaurant will be going mobile; an 18-foot, mobile kitchen is being worked on now.
