Zamirah Towns plans to bring her fruit platters, juices and sandwiches to Downtown Jacksonville this month as she prepares to open Honeyz Plates at 47 W. Adams St.
The grab-and-go location will offer customers customized fruit platters; cold tuna, chicken or egg sandwiches; and fresh juices, she said.
The platters often are used for events or parties, she said.
Some of the more popular offerings include platters served in pineapple or watermelon bowls, a watermelon cake, the orange treat, melon swivel, tiki party and a chocolate-dipped fruit platter. She also offers platters for smaller groups and couples.
“All platters are custom for your event so you will not see it anywhere else unless someone asks for a recreation,” Towns said.
She also will sell snickerdoodles: chocolate-dipped apples stuffed with cheesecake and Snickers bars.
Fruit platter prices range from $15 to $80.
Towns will work with DoorDash to provide delivery or customers can come to the store for pickup.
Honeyz Plates will move into the former First Stop Urgent Care space at Adams and Laura streets.
Towns said she hopes foot traffic in the area will boost business.
“It lined up because everything was already in order for what we needed for our company,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to be in an area that will help build my company.”
Towns started making fruit platters for friends and family in 2012 while working as a mortgage processing manager.
After her grandmother’s death in 2020, Towns said she was inspired to start making them again.
“It was my love for my grandmother and the inspiration and motivation that she always gave me that turned these precious fruits into masterpieces,” Towns said.
When she started sharing them on Facebook, Towns said friends started asking her to make them for events. Within a month demand grew, and Towns said she realized the opportunity to turn it into a business.
Towns named the company after her grandma’s nickname, Honey.
She said she will work full-time at Honeyz Plates, leaving her mortgage processing job. She plans to hire family members to start, and add more employees as needed.
“We have all these restaurants (Downtown), but we don’t have a lot of fruit around,” she said. “Fruit is beautiful and it’s sweet, so I plan to enhance our Downtown area with our delightful fruit.”
