Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 10-20-17

Features
Businessman Jamal Wilson Finds His Niche In The Restaurant Business
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
If you’ve got a taste for a Hawaiian poke bowl, along with a Chicago-style hot dog and fries, topped off by a whiskey-infused cupcake, you can now satisfy your cravings in one place.
Hall on Franklin is a col- lective of restaurants under one roof in historic Tampa Heights where the fare ranges from Asian-style soups to sandwiches with quirky names, like We Have to Oui Oui, a grilled gruyere (cheese) and asparagus sandwich with a mushroom sauce.
Hall is the brainchild of Jamal Wilson, a Tampa na- tive who grew up with an eye on a law career before trying his hand – with ups and downs – in other professions.
Wilson’s entry into the hospitality business is the third reinvention for the Tampa Preparatory graduate. After graduating from Amherst College in 1997, Wilson embarked on a pro- fessional basketball career playing for teams in Gary, Ind., and Flint, Mich., as well
as overseas in Austria, Hol- land, and Switzerland.
Wilson, 42, retired from basketball in the early 2000s thinking he would return to his plan of attending law school. But soon he was lured into another industry.
“I went into real estate right at the boom, making a good amount of money quickly,” he said.
Wilson opened a mort- gage broker firm that worked with major financial institu- tions and would employ al- most 100 people.
Then the market crashed in 2008 and Wilson, like many others, found himself scrambling to survive.
He retooled his business and cut his staff down to two. The changes kept him afloat, but working with cor- porate entities soon became
stifling, Wilson said.
“It brought structure to
my company, but working with a $1 billion business is a big boat that takes a while to pivot,” he said. “I don’t like bureaucracy.”
Wilson said he knew it was time to exit the mortgage business, but was unsure of
Jamal Wilson’s concept of collective restaurants under one roof is a plus in Tampa Heights.
his next move.
“I wanted to do something
I enjoyed,” he said. “I wanted to work with people.”
In 2012, Wilson took time off to travel before dipping back into real estate, flipping homes.
But the luster wore off shortly, and Wilson was again looking for a new ad- venture.
Going into the restaurant business was far from Wil- son’s mind. But it was dining experiences at food halls in Denver and New York City that convinced him other-
wise.
“I realized it was the one
restaurant I could do,” he said. “It appealed to my de- sign instincts.”
While selling the concept to chefs, partners, and in- vestors, Wilson also was looking for a location for the trendy spot.
He stumbled on a former car dealership in historic Tampa Heights and instantly knew it was the perfect spot.
“When I walked into this building, I knew I could do
something amazing with it,” he said. “It had to be this building. It really spoke to me.”
Finally, after months of construction, decorating, and hiring, Hall on Franklin opened this summer to rave reviews and packed tables.
Wilson said he’s excited to see his vision realized, but he’s not resting on his latest accomplishment.
“I’m open to doing more,” he said. “I like to challenge myself.”
Parent University At Franklin Middle Magnet School
Registration is now open for Parent University, a FREE, half day conference (8 a. m. to 11:30 a. m.) with in- formation to help your child succeed in school. Parent University is on Saturday, October 28, 2017. Get all questions answered about academic programs, services and resources available in Hillsborough County Public Schools.
The day begins with a welcome from Superin- tendent Jeff Eakins, fol- lowed by two classes of your choice covering topics that will help your child from pre- kindergarten to graduation and beyond. Classes that keep parents coming back are:
• Understanding Your
Child's Brain: Increasing Ac- ademic Achievement and Character Development
• Elementary Reading: How to Help Your Child be a Reading Rockstar!
• Navigating the Elemen- tary, Middle and High School Magnet and Choice Process
Visit the Resource Cafe and talk with district experts and community partners. Meet with representatives from the multitude of diverse magnet and choice programs available for students.
Middle school choices and programs will be high- lighted for parents that want more information about grades 6-8.
To register and to get more information, go to info@all4schools.org.
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