Jay’s Nyam & Jam is leveling up from pop-ups and window service to a full storefront at Findlay Market, a big move for the Jamaican team that has been quietly building a following across Cincinnati. The grand opening is set for Saturday morning, complete with a short program, ribbon-cutting, and a little thank-you for early customers. To celebrate, the crew is offering a free Jamaican patty or a fountain drink with purchases of $10 or more.
The opening-day program kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with welcome remarks from Corporation for Findlay Market staff, followed by comments from the Jay’s Nyam & Jam team. A ribbon-cutting is slated for about 10:40 a.m., then a toast to officially christen the space. Guests at the event can cash in on the free patty or fountain drink deal with qualifying purchases, according to WCPO.
Findlay Launch Residency
Jay’s Nyam & Jam is entering the Findlay Launch Storefront Accelerator, a residency program that slots food entrepreneurs into move-in ready spaces so they can test and scale their concepts. The program offers a fully equipped kitchen, point-of-sale systems and mentorship, and it requires participants to stay for at least 15 months to give businesses a real runway, according to Findlay Launch.
From Pop-Ups To A Neighborhood Staple
Owners Jermaine and Kelly Vassell built Jay’s Nyam & Jam through a grind of pop-ups, Taste of Cincinnati appearances and market shifts before landing the storefront. The business has been part of the Findlay Market community for about three years and is listed as a member of Findlay Kitchen, a nonprofit incubator that helps local food businesses grow, according to the Findlay Kitchen members list.
Taste Wins Helped Build A Following
Jay’s has already proven itself on the festival circuit, earning a gold for its jerk chicken “Jamaican” bowl and a silver for jerk chicken wings with pineapple jerk sauce in the Findlay Kitchen Start-Ups category at Taste of Cincinnati. Those wins helped raise the restaurant’s profile and build buzz that organizers hope will translate into steady storefront traffic, according to Visit Cincy.
What It Means For The Neighborhood
Programs like Findlay Launch and Findlay Kitchen are designed to lower barriers for BIPOC, immigrant and women-owned food businesses by matching fully built-out spaces with training, mentorship and startup costs that are lower than typical market rates. Paired with Findlay Market’s steady flow of shoppers, that support gives spots like Jay’s a clearer shot at long-term stability in a crowded dining scene. See more from Findlay Launch and the Corporation for Findlay Market’s management page at Findlay Market…