Today Show: Tim Harris, First Restauranteur with Down’s Syndrome

Today Show: Tim’s Place Run By Owner With Down Syndrome

Tim’s Place is an Albuquerque, New Mexico staple for a lot of reasons. People love the old diner feeling, they really love the food but what they love most of all is Tim Harris, the owner of the restaurant and the first restauranteur with Down Syndrome. Harris told the Today Show owning a restaurant has been a dream of his since he was 14-years-old. His father helped him make the dream come true by financing the restaurant for his son while his mother helped him decorate every inch of the dining room.

Harris, who said he has won more medals in the Special Olympics than Michael Phelps has won and was also the Prom King at his high school, has always been treated normally. His father said he has never treated his son any different than his other brothers, always going to the same schools as them and always being another person in the family who had some big dreams.

So what does Tim do at the restaurant? Well, a manger runs the everyday operations of the store while Tim told the Today Show he is in charge of serving the food and giving out hugs to every customer in the restaurant.

“It makes the person feel good and they want to come back again,” said Tim of why he gives hugs to everyone.

With a little more than 32,000 hugs given out since the restaurant opened, you can expect this New Mexico staple to be around for a long time. And if you ever need a hug, now you know where to go.