OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Tyla Kennedy wants to bring customer service back to where it used to be.
In an industry racing toward self-order kiosks, QR codes and robotic servers, the Ocala entrepreneur is deliberately swimming against the current. She wants the human element back–the eye contact, the conversation, the feeling that the person taking your order actually cares.
“I want to bring customer service back to the way that it used to be when I was a server,” Kennedy said.
“Where people matter. The customer touch matters. The experience matters, the whole thing matters,” she continued.
That conviction is driving her newest venture, Leaf and Vine, a build-your-own bowls and salads restaurant set to open in mid-August inside The Forge in midtown Ocala.
Filling critical food gaps in Marion County
For years, Kennedy has watched busy families, teachers, coaches, and fellow entrepreneurs stuck in fast-food lines night after night. One loyal customer buys multiple pre-prepared grab-and-go meals from her weekly because it’s more affordable and practical than grocery shopping and cooking for a household with multiple kids in sports.
“I have a lady right now, she purchases 30 to 40 meal preps every single week from me and has for the last eight months. Her kids are in sports. She has three children, her husband works full-time, she works full-time. It’s almost impossible for them to go and prep all the food, cook all the food and have all the different options,” Kennedy said.
That local reality inspired Leaf and Vine. While her existing Healthy Hub offers “fast food for smart people” such as air-fried, scratch-made burgers, wraps and salads with no grease or deep fryers, Leaf and Vine focuses exclusively on customizable bowls and salads.
“It’s like when Fresh Kitchen meets Just Salads,” Kennedy explained, referencing concepts in Gainesville and Miami. The menu will feature more than 40 vegetable ingredients, over 10 protein options, and full accommodations for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. Guests can expect fresh Mediterranean-inspired combinations, seasonal items like beet and feta salads, and some of her popular Healthy Hub grab-and-go options.
Why customer service sets Leaf and Vine apart
Located in the in-process Forge food hall and multi-use development, Leaf and Vine will stand out by rejecting the hands-off, kiosk-heavy model common in modern food halls. Instead, it will feature an open kitchen where diners can watch their food being prepared, then customize their bowl or salad at the counter before handing it to a team member for final assembly and payment all while enjoying real human interaction.
Kennedy is clear about her philosophy: In a time when many restaurants are losing the personal touch, she’s doubling down on it. “Not only do we have open kitchen concepts… It’s also going to provide a feeling of friendliness and great customer service,” she said.
From TED Talk speaker to restaurant visionary
The 38-year-old Ocala resident (who moved here at age five) built her foundation through resilience. After overcoming childhood poverty and family challenges, she became a successful Herbalife wellness coach at 26, delivered a 2017 TEDx Talk on breaking generational cycles, and has since created multiple businesses while “failing forward.”
Leaf and Vine is part of a larger franchise-style vision that includes Healthy Hub and future concepts like a breakfast spot (Grits and Gravy). Her goal is to offer healthy options for every meal of the day while making a meaningful impact in Marion County.
Deep Community Roots
Kennedy’s work has always extended beyond business. Her Healthy Hub location near Howard Middle School serves an area with limited fresh food access.
She regularly provides free or low-cost meals to local kids, is organizing a major back-to-school shoe drive at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center, and partners with community leaders on teacher appreciation events and other givebacks.
“I have a heart for that place, because I went to Howard Middle School, and there’s just a lot of people that surround my center that don’t have a lot of opportunities like the rest of us due to their living situations,” Kennedy said.
“Kids will come up to me and say, ‘Hey, Miss Tyla,’ and they all know me, ‘Miss Tyla, can I get a fruit cup?’ And, they’ll give me two quarters, and fruit bowls are three dollars. I’m like, ‘Yes, baby, you can have whatever you want.’ Or some kids, their friend will be eating, and the other kid is standing there, and he won’t have any money, and I’m like, ‘Do you want some chicken and fries,’” she continued.
She explained her upcoming initiative to donate new shoes to kids for the upcoming school year.
“I feel like every kid deserves a new pair of shoes when they go to school. My goal is to raise like 200-300 pairs of shoes at Mary Sue Rich, and pass them out to all the kids there for new shoes,” she said.
Coming soon to Ocala
As she looks ahead, Kennedy is building a portfolio of brands with franchise potential. With Leaf and Vine, she is aiming for seven-figure success across her growing restaurant group.
“Seven-figure income coming soon. Millionaire by the time I’m 40,” she declared.
“There’s so much coming in the next year and a half. It is mind blowing,” she continued.
Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: just do it.
“Just do it. Do it scared, do it boldly, do it broke, do it however it looks to you,” she said. “Don’t care about what people think. Wake up every single morning with the mindset that you’re going to accomplish the things that you want. Don’t be afraid to fail, and just live every single day like it is literally your last opportunity on this earth, because life is short, and you never know when that last day is going to be. I would rather leave with my tank on E and have no regrets of things I could have and should have done, and some chances and risks, then the other way around.”
For more information, visit healthyhub352.com.