Maya McFadden Photo
After spending more than a year out of work to relocate their Jamaican style food restaurant, owner, Norma Parks and family celebrated the grand reopening of Whalley Avenue’s Caribbean Connection on Tuesday.
After spending about 15 years at 370 Whalley Ave., Parks, 66, and her family decided to move a few blocks west to the bigger location at 504 Whalley Ave. It took about a year to find a new place and make the move; the new spot has been open a few months leading up to Tuesday’s official reopening ceremony.
The spot is open every day of the week serving Jamaican culture and food to the neighborhood.
“We plan to do this until whenever we can’t do it no more,” said Parks’ son, Gregory Martin, who works alongside his mom every day at the restaurant.
Alder Evette Hamilton, Deputy Economic Development Director Steve Fontana, and Mayor Toni Harp joined the family for the official reopening Tuesday afternoon.
“Norma I am so proud of you for staying the course. I know it hasn’t been easy,” said Hamilton, who supported the family during with the move.
Martin (pictured above), 41, has the responsibility of supporting his five kids. This became difficult for his family when the restaurant closed for a year. He worked part-time jobs, particularly on construction projects. “My mom was crying every day because this place is what we know and what we do,” he said.
Martin and his sister, Tamara James, 40, were born in Saint Catherine, Jamacia; Parks raised them alone as a single mother. In 1995 Parks moved her family to America. She learned to cook alongside her grandmother as a young girl.
Martin said he is the dedicated member of the family who cooks the menu’s jerk chicken recipe. He has a passion for both cooking and serving. In the future, he hopes to bring his own kids into the family business.
Parks and her family offered Harp a Jamaican beer as she congratulated them on their long-awaited relocation.
“I’m delighted to see that Caribbean Connection has reconnected with its customers, serving delicious, authentic Caribbean recipes from its now
larger facility on Whalley Avenue,” said Harp.
Martin said he enjoys the new location because there is less loitering and more facility space. He is also happy to remain on Whalley Avenue.
The restaurant also now offers a delivery option through DoorDash.
James (pictured above) witnessed her mother’s love for cooking first hand growing up. “I grew up watching her always be dedicated and patient, she really deserves this,” she said.
Around age 10, James learned to cook large portions of meals like dumplings, chicken, and fish for other children in her neighborhood. Along with cooking, James also has a passion for styling hair. She said she hopes to open a salon in the near future.
When the restaurant closed around May of 2018, James said her family immediately began searching for a new location. The restaurant offically reopened in Februrary of 2019.
The restaurant added more outdoor seating for customers to enjoy the summer weather while eating. James primarily manages the restaurant’s Facebook page sharing its daily deals, holiday schedules, and events. In honor of the restaurants reopening, they will host a day-long cookout on July 19 with a DJ, discounted food deals, and giveway prizes for kids.
The family is also working on using an outdoor grill to cook in front of customers and serve them immediately on the sidewalk, as it did at the previous location. “Our smoker is our Carribean connection; we need to get it back,” James said.
The family usually starts food preparation around 7 a.m each day.
Parks said she wouldn’t want to own a restaurant and run the buisness without her family. “We are strong because we deal with the ups and downs together,” she said.