Inside Rami’s Café: Serving Breakfast and Community

When you walk into Rami’s Cafe, you can feel the warmth. The place is cozy, and the people inside seem like old friends. This welcoming atmosphere is rooted in the life story of owner and operator Basel Natour, who says, “I grew up in a restaurant family. My dad immigrated here when he was just a teenager, and he didn’t have more than a secondary education. He started out washing dishes and bussing tables back in the fifties.”

Although Basel and his siblings all went to college, they often came back to the food business. As Basel puts it, “We just like to be in charge of our own destiny. Whatever we achieve is what we put in.”

Path to opening Rami’s Cafe

Basel was not always planning to run his own cafe. For a while, he tried other paths, such as retail management. Basel’s realization came when the business where he was a manager closed unexpectedly. He recalls, “I actually came into the business by accident. But once I knew that [my previous employer] was going to close, a lightbulb came on. I said, ‘Well, I’ve gotta find something where I’m in charge of my own destiny.’”

That moment sparked the idea for Rami’s Cafe, a restaurant opportunity in an area of Knoxville, Tennessee, that was making a comeback. Basel wasted no time in stepping up. “Here I am, eleven years later,” he says with a smile.

When asked what ambition means to him, he thoughtfully shares, “Ambition is to have a goal and commit to achieving it. My ambition is my commitment to service and quality day after day. That’s how I’d like to serve my community.”

Building a neighborhood gathering place

From the start, Basel knew that Rami’s Cafe had to be more than a place to grab a meal. He wanted it to be a place where community ties grew stronger. As he explains, “The biggest thing [my customers] enjoy is a place to go to in their community rather than driving all the way to the other side of town. We’re like a little neighborhood gathering spot.”

Every Saturday, you can hear the sounds of people laughing and calling out to old friends. Basel says, “I can hear people shaking hands, running into neighbors, or folks they went to high school with years ago. The louder it is, the more I know they’re enjoying themselves.” Yes, the food is fresh, and the coffee is hot, but what customers remember most is that sense of belonging. “They come up to the register and say, ‘Thank you for being here. Thank you for fixing me breakfast. We’ll be back!’” Rami’s Cafe has turned into the neighborhood’s informal meeting place, exactly the kind of environment Basel has worked to build.

Partnership with Fulton High School

In the early years of Rami’s Cafe, he reached out to nearby Fulton High School to support students in the special needs program. “I was able to coordinate with their special needs class and have a few of their kids come out and do community work,” he explains. “They’d do little jobs like packing eggs or stacking cheese.”

That connection was important to Basel on a personal level, too. “My youngest son, Rami, is special needs,” he says. “So, I knew a bit about how such programs can make a difference in children’s lives. We developed great relationships with all the kids that came through.”

Basel continues to donate his time and resources whenever Fulton High School has a need. To him, being part of the neighborhood also means investing in the next generation.

Staff retention and mentorship approach

Finding good employees—and keeping them—is often the biggest challenge for owners in the food industry. But Basel believes one of the best ways to keep staff is to treat them with respect, train them well, and let them grow. “I have a staff now where I do not have anyone who’s been with me less than two years,” he says. That’s rare in the restaurant business.

Basel credits a mentorship approach he once learned while working in retail management: “When young people come in, maybe it’s their first job. I always tell them, ‘If you want to learn, I’m here, and I will teach you. I need you to be motivated.’” He focuses on practical skills, like the basics of how to handle money and how to provide good customer service. He explains that many people enter the job market without those real-world skills, and the chance to learn them is valuable. In turn, Basel’s staff remain loyal, which is why staff turnover at Rami’s Cafe is unusually low for the industry.

Support from Elavon

Over the years, Basel appreciates how Elavon plays a role in his success. Basel often reaches out to his local Elavon representative for guidance. “If I have an issue processing a transaction or need to figure out how to do a refund, I can always rely on the local rep or the customer service at Elavon,” he explains. “I’ve actually learned quite a bit from them.” 

In a world where small hiccups can lead to major setbacks, Basel values not having to worry about payment mishaps. Basel relies on Elavon as his trusted payment solutions partner to keep his day-to-day operations running smoothly so he can focus on what he does best.

Lighting a new path

Basel’s journey offers an encouraging path for other business owners: success is not always about chasing bigger and better. Sometimes, it’s about perfecting the space you already have, welcoming neighbors, serving fresh food, and supporting the people around you. As Basel says, “As long as I’m happy with what I’m doing, I’ll keep doing it.” And for the tight-knit Knoxville neighborhood that depends on Rami’s Cafe for its morning coffee and laughter-filled Saturday gatherings, that’s about the best news they could ask for.