“I'm just a down to earth girl from Seattle that enjoys people, enjoys helping people. I enjoy feeding people, styling people, and making people smile,” Nita Jackson said. (Photo courtesy of Jackson)

By Mead Gill - #SupportBlackBusiness

As long as Seattle stays hungry, Nita Jackson will be whipping up a batch of her famous five-cheese mac and cheese, a crowd favorite at her pop-up restaurant and private catering business JJ’s House of Soul. Accompanied by her latest venture JJ’s Jewels and Treasures, the House of Soul is Jackson’s signature take on soul fusion cuisine.

Since kickstarting the House of Soul in October 2015, Jackson has never wavered from her commitment to the community and the city of Seattle she was born and raised in. But as the market expenses of operating a pop-up restaurant become increasingly difficult to handle, Jackson looks to the community for support.

A Passion for Food and Fashion

Showcasing Jackson’s knack for cooking and styling, the House of Soul and Jewels and Treasures represent two sides of a passionate businesswoman dedicated to serving her community.

“I'm just a down to earth girl from Seattle that enjoys people, enjoys helping people. I enjoy feeding people, styling people, and making people smile,” Jackson said. While the House of Soul is Jackson’s culinary outlet, Jewels and Treasures features her custom t-shirts, urban wear, hats, canvas bags, jewelry, and other trinkets.

Nita Jackson and her husband Julius Jackson co-own JJ’s House of Soul, with additional help from their family. (Photo courtesy of Nita Jackson)

A Business Built From People, For People

Jackson’s family and friends were the first to obsess over her ability to infuse cooking with heart and soul. After years of encouragement at holiday gatherings and Sunday dinners, Jackson took a leap of faith and opened JJ’s House of Soul with her community front of mind.

“Everyone was always telling me, ‘You should sell your food, it's amazing. You have the best mac and cheese, the best spaghetti, best sauces, lumpia, everything,’” Jackson said. JJ’s House of Soul is Jackson’s way of uplifting and giving back to her community the best way she knows how, she said.

For the past 10 years, JJ’s has remained fully operated by Jackson and her family. Her husband and co-owner Julius Jackson, whom she called her “guinea pig taste tester,” handles business logistics and helps take orders while her nephew plates food.

Without any prior business experience herself, Nita’s passion for cooking is paired with guidance from her sister who has a business degree and ownership experience. All these elements make JJ’s a testament to the power of family and community, according to Jackson.

Gaining Strength from Family

Jackson credits her skill in the kitchen to her mother and grandmother, both with extensive culinary backgrounds.

“I used to be in the kitchen as a child, always trying to figure out how I can learn, how I can help out, and so I kind of established my basic training, so to say, with them in the kitchen,” she said, a testament to JJ’s devotion to family.

Being raised by a single mother taught Jackson the importance of perseverance. All her life Jackson witnessed her mother’s relentless determination to support her children, a characteristic Jackson has taken with her through the ups and downs that come with owning a small business.

“I get my strength from her, and I know that you may have some good days, you may have some bad days, but you're going to be okay,” Jackson said, not afraid to wear her own struggles and successes on her sleeve.

A Menu Full of Heart and Soul

After consolidating knowledge from her mother and grandmother, Jackson began developing her own recipes, mastering cuisines from around the world while staying true to her soul food roots.

“I consider us soul fusion, because I do all kinds of dishes,” Jackson said. “I do Filipino, I know how to do Chinese, Indian, whatever you need, I got it, and I like to put a soul food twist on it.”

While the menu changes seasonally, JJ’s most popular dishes include the fried chicken and waffles, the seafood boil, and Jackson’s personal favorite, the spaghetti. Every dish, from the 24-hour marinated meats to decadent desserts, are always homemade with love, Jackson said.

The Struggles of Inconsistent Income

Without a brick-and-mortar establishment to attract regular foot traffic, Jackson’s sole income comes from catering and pop-up market events. These opportunities are few and far between, forcing Jackson to go sometimes weeks without income before her next gig.

“The ultimate goal is to get a food truck or a brick and mortar. And so, I've been saving up and saving up and saving up, but it seems like in Seattle, it's never enough,” Jackson said, recounting days where she was ready to throw in the towel if not for her dedication to serving the community.

On top of unreliable income, the markets that JJ’s participates in come with expensive vendor fees, ranging between $100 and $1000 just for three to six hours of operation. With both the House of Soul and Jewels and Treasures, Jackson is often forced to choose between the two when an opportunity arises.

Jackson relies on social media and word of mouth to reach the community in the hopes of making the pop-up price tags worth her while, but low sales has remained a mountainous obstacle to overcome.

“We need more support from the community. That is the main thing,” Jackson said. “Support goes a long way. Even if it's just sharing a flyer, even if you don't have any money to give, any products to buy, just get the word out. Anything helps.”

JJ’s Jewels and Treasures showcases their canvas bags, hats, shirts, and other trinkets. (Photo courtesy of Nita Jackson)

The Significance of Being a Black-Owned Business

In celebration of Black History Month, Jackson is hosting a Vendor’s Spotlight at Delancey’s On 3rd in Renton on Sunday, February 23. Alongside the House of Soul and Jewels and Treasures, the spotlight will feature other businesses, many of which are Black-owned, and performers from the Seattle area.

“Spreading love around the city is as much needed in this day and time,” Jackson said. From her perspective as a business owner, African Americans are perceived as less capable of owning successful businesses, and her spotlight aims to help prove this perception wrong.

As Jackson pursues her dream of owning a food truck or brick and mortar establishment, she continues to organize events and grow her name in catering in the hopes of a more consistent source of income. JJ’s is hosting another Vendor’s Spotlight on Mother’s Day in Seward Park, and with enough support, a Family Fun Day at the end of the summer where they hope to serve food free.

With these ultimate goals in mind, Jackson calls for the community to come out to the next Vendor’s Spotlight and enjoy everything that JJ’s House of Soul and Jewels and Treasures has to offer.

“I want to provide jobs. I want to provide a place to come hang out, have good food, enjoy yourself, enjoy your time and bring your family, bring your friends— you know, all around goodness,” Jackson said.

JJ’s House of Soul

Phone: (206) 787-2535

Email: jjshouseofsoul@gmail.com

Facebook: JJ’s House of Soul To-Go, JJ’s Jewels and Treasures

Instagram: @jjshouseofsoul @jjs_jewels_and_treasures

This article is part of Converge Media’s Support Black Business Campaign. Please click here to learn more and support!