Naiyozcsia King Thomason, the owner of Mz. Jade’s Soul Food, has announced Sunday as her last day at W. Social Tap & Table.
This news comes as she prepares to open a standalone, carryout and delivery restaurant six minutes down the road. Additional details about the location are to be announced.
“W. Social has been great to me. Dayton has been great to me,” Thomason said. “It’s just that I wanted a standalone restaurant and give somebody else a chance to come in there after me and be able to do their thing.”
Thomason said she secured the restaurant space two months after she signed the lease at W. Social. It’s currently going through a total build out with a new fire suppression system and equipment. She’s hoping to open by Sept. 1.
In addition to soul food, Thomason’s new spot will offer a variety of barbecue and smoked meats year-round. Thomason said her husband is the one that smokes the meat, and she makes the homemade brown sugar bourbon barbecue sauce to go with it.
Mz. Jade’s Soul Food currently offers barbecue on Sundays at her Cincinnati and Sharonville restaurants. It typically sells out within an hour.
The new spot will also feature breakfast.
“I appreciate Wright Dunbar for opening their arms to me,” Thomason said. “I just felt it was time for elevation.”
Courtland’s Mobile Grill coming soon to W. Social
The new vendor taking her spot in the food hall is Guy C. Ansley of Courtland’s Mobile Grill.
Ansley is a 1981 Jefferson High School graduate who has been in food service management for more than 30 years.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
His first job in the food service industry was at Wendy’s, followed by a six-year stint at Long John Silver’s on North Gettysburg Avenue. That’s where he and his team took the company’s lowest volume standalone store and increased sales by 49% in 18 months.
“With that success, I was like you know what I did for this company, I need to do for myself,” Ansley said.
He was working at Delphi in the early 2000s when he was offered a buyout. He took that money and bought a food trailer in 2006.
“I went out on faith 15 years ago,” Ansley said. “I started at the West Town Shopping center. I was there for two years and then eventually I got downtown at Courthouse Square — which I’ve been for the last 13 years.”
Prior to that, he was selling food out of his house and making meals for his coworkers at Delphi.
Courtland’s features comfort food with favorites such as the Betty Burger, cheesesteaks, whiting fish and chicken wings. Every Friday, he features ribs.
The burger is named after his late-mother, Betty, who inspired him to cook. He remembers her making some of the best burgers when he was growing up.
All ingredients on the food truck are prepped fresh every single day. Nothing is carried over.
He is hoping to open at W. Social on July 17 — his mother’s birthday. She died in 1997 from pancreatic cancer.
At the food hall, Courtland’s will offer a variety of new salads and cheesesteaks. He also plans to make some specials he’s had in the past staples on the menu.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
When asked if the food truck will continue, Ansley said once he gets into the food hall he won’t be at Courthouse Square for the remainder of the year. He does have plans to return there and to the Job Center next year.
Ansley said he appreciates the help of Tae Winston, Anthony Thomas and Stacy Murray in getting him to take this next step, as well as his longtime employees Monique Gibson and Asia Gilbert
“I’m just happy for the opportunity,” Ansley said. “I want to get there, provide great service and provide good food.”
Courtland’s and Mz. Jade’s will be two of more than 30 vendors selling food from 2 to 7 p.m. on Wright Dunbar Day.
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