Kadian Green was excited to embark on a new career path when she purchased Iveys Restaurant on Wellington Street in Galt last September.
Her plan was to open another Jamaican restaurant at the location and serve up her own variations of oxtail and jerk chicken, among other tastes from her homeland.
When she opened Gingles Caribbean Restaurant, named after her grandfather who always had coins jingling in his pockets, things were initially going well.
But that excitement soon changed to concern when walk-in customers slowed, putting the restaurants sustainability in question.
By December, she was considering selling.
"In the get-go it wasn't slow but in the winter is when it declined," Green said.
"I was excited to open but there were some other personal life changes that happened and it became a struggle."
In March, she finally made the decision to sell.
It's not all bad news for Jamaican food lovers, though, as Green has plans to revive her restaurant in Kitchener. Being from there and having family, friends and connections to the city, the idea of opening a new spot made sense.
While not ready to announce a location just yet, it's in the works, Green said.
"It's coming along but I'm still working on it," she said.
"We’re going to have oxtail, jerk chicken, it’s going to be Jamaican but it's not going to be like what I had before. I’m going to be looking at pizzas, wraps and soups. We're going to do it a little different."
The restaurant will also feature a grocery store, offering authentic Jamaican products.
It's an addition she believes is needed with few similar options in the region.
With the Cambridge restaurant having not seen the success she'd hoped, Greene admits giving it another go is an uneasy feeling.
"I'm nervous," she said.
"I'm trying to not give up that easy on my passion."
