Family businesses like The Outside Lounge in Queens, New York set the tone for mainstream commerce in the Jamaican Diaspora, particularly in North America.

The restaurant is owned by Michael Williams, his wife, sisters and a close family friend. They purchased the location in 2010 and The Outside Lounge officially came into being five years later.

Its menu is strictly Jamaican, so too most of the clientele which also includes fellow West Indians and the diverse nationalities who live in New York City.

Fans from all walks of life are expected at The Outside Lounge on May 26 (ahead of Memorial Day weekend) for the venue’s annual Summer Safety event which has attracted reggae acts like Ed Robinson and Anthony Malvo.

“The Outside Lounge and businesses like this are very important to the Jamaican community because they act as a meeting place for folks to come together. I am happy that I started this business. A friend of mine met his present girlfriend at the lounge going on three years now,” Williams told OBSERVER ONLINE.

Typical of Jamaican eateries, the Williams family venture offers staples such as jerked chicken, curried goat and ox tail as well as a variety of in-house drinks known as Natural Fountain Juices which was launched four years ago.

Distributed to ‘mom and pop’ outlets in New York and New Jersey, it comprises five flavours: fruit punch, ginger beer, lemonade, mango/orange and pineapple/ginger.

Michael Williams and his siblings were raised in the Waltham Park Road area of Kingston. They migrated to the United States in the mid-1980s and typical of Jamaican immigrants, established themselves through various forms of employment.

He notes that The Outside Lounge is more than a meeting place for friends to catch up on the latest developments back home.

“My philanthropic effect is part of the mission statement for The Outside Lounge. This is part of my DNA passed down by my dear mom. May her soul continue to RIP. Mother Jones would have it no other way,” said Williams. “It is very important to reach back to help the less fortunate. It doesn’t have to be cash. It can be goods and services or also your time. It’s very important to us.”