With the opening of its second location, San Jose restaurant Jackie’s Place brings the taste of soul food and Texas barbecue to the SoFA District. It’s the fourth Black-owned small business on that block of South First Street, joining Nirvana Soul, Ashy Aromas and Sainte Claire Market.
Owner Jacquelyn “Jackie” Jackson heard about the vacant space from Jeronica Macey, co-owner of next-door cafe Nirvana Soul. Jackson said Macey reached out to the family, insisting they check out the location as it had plenty of foot traffic. But her mentioning three other Black-owned businesses nearby was the determining factor.
“That is totally unheard of in San Jose. We wanted to be a part of that,” Jackson told San José Spotlight. “It would give us an opportunity to open up the eyes for our community to see that there are Black-owned businesses in San Jose and we’re doing OK.”
The Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet provided support and resources, while the San Jose Downtown Association helped with permitting and expedited opening the second location, Jackson said. When the business ran into obstacles with fire codes and city planning, Walter Wilson, partner of the Silicon Valley Minority Business Consortium, contacted the city on the restaurant’s behalf.
Wilson said Black businesses and institutions help communities grow and thrive — and a strong economic base makes people want to stay in San Jose.
“The country’s not going to grow if you have a group of people who are locked out,” Wilson told San José Spotlight. “We want to make sure minority women-owned small businesses do well, especially during this anti-diversity effort of Trump’s. His movement isn’t just against people of color — it’s a movement against equality.”
Jackie’s Place is a family affair, with the second location opening on April 27. Jackson’s sons and daughters are business partners, and its treasured family recipes were handed down from her grandmother.
“There’s a legacy and lineage that started with my grandmother, mom, aunts,” Jackson said. “Being able to work with my children … To see them thriving and being able to support this business … has been one of the greatest experiences.”
Jackson said soul food and Texas barbecue take time to prepare. They peel potatoes, cut greens, marinate chicken and ribs for a minimum of 24 hours and smoke brisket for 12-16 hours. Other menu items include chicken and waffles, banana pudding and sweet potato pie.
Customer Trisha Fabillaran enjoyed her order of ribs, mac ‘n cheese and candied yams.
“What brought us in is we like soul food,” she told San José Spotlight. “I like how they take a Southern take on ribs. The candied yams are really good, super creamy and sweet. The ribs are very moist … it’s very flavorful.”
Customer Malcolm Adams ordered the Southern fried fish with mac ‘n cheese and collard greens. He was excited to see a soul food spot open in San Jose and would like to see more Black-owned businesses.
Kiana Jackson, Jackie’s daughter, said it’s about representation.
“There are a lot of diverse corners in San Jose, but they never really reflected our own,” she told San José Spotlight. “It was the opportunity to be in a community of entrepreneurs who look like us. There are a lot of people who want to be part of the thread, and we want to be part of the thread, too.”
Minority Business Consortium Partner Reginald Swilley said more Black-owned businesses are needed, as well as a Black business district.
“The success of Jackie’s Place is telling everybody we don’t have the obstructions we’ve had in the past,” he told San José Spotlight. “The playing field in San Jose is becoming level and you will absolutely witness some exciting growth in the Black business community if we know we have fair access.”
Leah Toeniskoetter, president and CEO of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, said small businesses are vital to a resilient economy as they create jobs, bring innovation and shape the city’s identity. She said the chamber is committed to amplifying their success and advocating for policies that reduce barriers for all small business owners.
“We’re thrilled to see South First Street emerging as a vibrant corridor of culture, community and commerce,” she told San José Spotlight. “Black-owned businesses are an essential part of that story, and their visibility and success help ensure that San Jose’s economic growth reflects the full diversity of our community. Representation has a powerful ripple effect. When entrepreneurs see businesses like Jackie’s Place … succeeding in San Jose, it reinforces the idea that success is possible and our city values diversity in its business leadership.”
Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected].
