by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
You know their faces. You know what they do. You might even know their names. But do you really know who they are? As we walk around downtown Jacksonville doing whatever it is we do everyday, we run into the same people all the time. It might be the policeman on the corner or the guy running the hot dog stand. Here is what a few of Jacksonville’s most face-famous people are really like.
Rebecca Brown and Bonnie Maynard
Rebecca Brown and Bonnie Maynard are the smiling faces behind some of the best cookies in Jacksonville. Everyday you can find Brown and Maynard at the Landing, serving up a smile and a little bit of conversation with every cookie they sell.
“It’s a wonderful company to work for and I have a good working relationship with Bonnie,” said Brown, while she loaded a fresh tray of chocolate chip cookie dough into the oven.
Maynard said she and Brown make about 4,000 cookies everyday. And they know their stuff, too. Maynard has been working for Coastal Cookies for 16 years and Brown has been there for six years.
What makes their cookies so good? Brown said their cookies are different because they make everything on site with the freshest ingredients, including a little bit of baking soda.
“You have to have the B.S.,” said Brown. “If you forget the B.S., you have messed up. Don’t forget the B.S.”
They serve about 300 to 400 customers per day and Brown said she likes meeting all of the different people from around town.
“We love our customers,” she said.
Brown likened the cookie stand to another neighborhood meet-and-greet — the barber shop. She said some of their regular customers come to the stand for some sweets and to share their troubles of the day.
“They come up and they can talk to us and get it off their shoulders,” she said. “After that, they always leave with a smile.”
A smile and some seriously deliciouscookies.
Alexander Hice
Alexander Hice can be found most days tending to his hot dog stand near the corner of Laura and Church streets.
Hice said he has been on that corner for about three years. He likes the spot because it is near an area that gets a lot of traffic. His cart is located near City Hall, JEA, First Baptist Church and the construction site at the new Main Library. Hice said most of his customers come from the JEA building after paying their bill.
“People go inside and come out frustrated and need a hot dog, if they have any money left,” said Hice said. “Sometimes they are really frustrated but they have to understand that if you are going to use (electricity), you have to pay for it.”
Hice said he likes working the cart because he gets to meet and talk to a lot of different people. He also said he likes working outdoors and the constant change of scenery and people.
Though some street vendors set up for Jaguars games, Hice said he doesn’t like the hassle. He also said it is hard to make sales when so many people are tailgating.
Hice mainly serves hot dogs and sausages from his cart with an assortment of drinks and goodies like chips, gum and cookies. He said he doesn’t change the menu according to the time of year because people can get a hankering for hot dogs anytime.
“When people get a taste for something, it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is,” he said.
Francesca Romero
As the guest services manager for Adam’s Mark Hotel, Francesca Romero knows good service. For Romero, not only is the customer always right but they should also always be happy.
“Good service is not good enough,” she said. “It has to be great service.”
Romero’s desk is surrounded by dozens of guest’s bags and there is always a steady stream of bellmen and service people passing by. So it is no wonder that she likes to be in the lobby doing what she does best — helping guests.
“I like being out in the lobby instead of being in this office,” she said. “I like keeping my hand in it. I love working with people.”
Having worked in the hospitality business for a while now, Romero has received some off the wall requests but said nothing has ever been too bizarre.
“I don’t think any request is odd,” she said.
Then again, Romero used to work in the service industry in Manhattan before coming to Jacksonville, so she said she has heard requests for everything.
“I come from a place that is extremely diverse and really is the most demanding in the world,” she said.
Now that she is in a tamer city, Romero said guests at Adam’s Mark most commonly ask for information about entertainment and dining options.
“We tend to make a lot of dinner reservations,” she said.
Because dining and entertainment is the most common request, Romero said she trains all of her staff to have a vast knowledge of Jacksonville’s dining options. She also said she tries to instill a sense of immediacy in her staff.
“It is a way to make every guest feel special,” she said.
And with every guest, Romero said it is greatly important to tell every guest that “it has been my pleasure to serve you.”