Aug. 10, 2021

Less than two weeks after moving into Wileys downtown, chef Omar Thornton is stepping away from owning ‘O’ So Good Restaurant.

Thornton cited the toll that running a restaurant has taken on his family mentally and physically in a post on Facebook.

“When your mental health goes down, and your physical health hit a level that is has, it’s time to listen to love(d) ones and make a change,” he said, while adding “my cookings dream is not over.”

The employees who came with him and those he recently hired will become Wileys employees, he said. It was not clear if the new menu would continue.

Thornton’s business became a destination in Garretson after first building a reputation for Southern-style cooking and then took off further when it was among area restaurants featured earlier this year on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” It moved to Sioux Falls at the end of July.

He said he plans to change his catering name to O So Good Open Hand, in the hope he will have opportunities to help others.

“For God’s work is never done, and I will continue to use my talents/skills/opportunities to do God’s work and help folks out without looking for something in return,” he said.

His restaurant presence on social media will be “O So Good, what’s next” as he attempts to figure that out.

“Thank you to all, thank you to Wiley’s for help(ing) try to keep the Dream O’s going, but this is not the end of the a dream, but continuing to live out that dream by becoming a better, healthier person,” Thornton said.

Wileys plans to return to its previous menu with a few changes, an employee said.