Thomas Coronado of Jordan's Grab 'n Go in Dyersburg, TN

Transcript

Marsh Naidoo (00:25):

Welcome to this episode of Raising Kellan, the podcast to motivate, inspire, and educate parents, raising kids with special needs. I am your host, Marsh Naidoo, and today I am sitting with Thomas Coronado, co-owner of Jordan's. Grab and go here in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Welcome to the show, Thomas.

Thomas Coronado (00:49):

Thank you for having me!

Marsh Naidoo (00:50):

Guys, Tommy together with his mom, Christine Coronado own Jordan's Grab & Go. Tommy, tell me the concept behind Jordans.

Thomas Coronado (01:01):

Originally we started the store to give Jordan my sister a place to go to work because there are not any opportunities for special needs adults to work and haave that work experience or that interaction with people. So that was that's how it started and it's just grown tremendously.

Marsh Naidoo (01:27):

So Thomas, I was actually looking back on our podcast list and I actually interviewed Christine on episode number three. Y'all, so go back and check that out. Episode number three and that was actually done in December last year, <laugh>. And at that time, how long had you guys been, y'all been in operation for?

Thomas Coronado (01:49):

It's gonna be two years in January.

Marsh Naidoo (01:52):

Two years. So you guys must have just been open-shy for year then. Yes. Tell me a little bit about Jordan

Thomas Coronado (02:00):

<laugh>. Jordan's a real character. She's always happy. She can be very vocal when she wants to be but she could also be real quiet. It depends what mood she's in at the house. She's on her show or playing with her cards, that's an autistic thing. She likes to do the same thing over and over. And when she's in the zone, it's quiet as a mouse. But when she's watching, let's say Sesame Street or Arthur and she likes to sing or talk a little bit more. So yeah, that's just part of it.

Marsh Naidoo (02:47):

Jordan is 24, right? She has a diagnosis of Autism and with the current situation going on with the pandemic, Jordan hasn't really been coming out to the store.

Thomas Coronado (03:01):

That's correct. We decided to isolate her since the pandemic started, just out of safety. She's one of those, she won't know any better to not touch her face or her eyes. And so

Marsh Naidoo (03:21):

So just giving caution right now is what you guys are doing.

Thomas Coronado (03:25):

Yes, absolutely.

Marsh Naidoo (03:26):

So let's take it a little bit to the beginning and give us some history about you guys and your family as such, because I just think that is the most neatest thing how you guys moved and traveled and got to live in different parts of the country. Because I think that also lends itself to understanding why your guys' menu is so diverse.

Thomas Coronado (03:52):

Oh, absolutely. Yeah. So I was born in Florida and Jordan was actually born in Chicago. So we were born in different cities a few years apart. And then eventually after my mom finished law school in Chicago she moved us to Hawaii and we stayed there a good eight years. And so that's where me and Jordan were raised all through school. And in Hawaii there's a very big, the Hawaiian culture and Filipino and Asian culture. So that's where some of our things that we've done on our menu

Marsh Naidoo (04:42):

Have the Asian Fusion

Thomas Coronado (04:45):

Like the Philly egg rolls for example, where that idea came from. We talked about doing Bobat tea, which is really big in Asian culture in Hawaii.

Marsh Naidoo (05:00):

Wow, man.

Thomas Coronado (05:02):

So then eventually we moved here

Marsh Naidoo (05:06):

To Dyersburg TN?

Thomas Coronado (05:07):

Tennessee, but we didn't know we would do the store not until a little bit later on. So we were just a regular family. Mom's always been a lawyer since she moved here. Stepdad, he's retired Navy. And so Jordan didn't really have anything. I was working I did college, got my bachelor's and then worked as a correctional officer. So I was just working like everyone else.

Marsh Naidoo (05:42):

So what lit the spark for the restaurant? Charming. What got that going?

Thomas Coronado (05:49):

My mom was very passionate about, again, having somewhere for Jordan to call her own. She didn't just want Jordan to stay home all day and just not have anything to look forward to. Cuz once Jordan graduated high school there, there just wasn't very much that the community could offer her.

Marsh Naidoo (06:10):

You guys went out and made that opportunity or got things done. I love that.

Thomas Coronado (06:16):

We did and we've hired other special needs people and since then, you know and remember Tabitha, yes, She's our success story we call it.

Marsh Naidoo (06:28):

I love that.

Thomas Coronado (06:29):

And we've had three other employees who are special needs as well that worked for us for a period of time.

Marsh Naidoo (06:39):

Tommy, you guys have been in operation for two years now and I have to give you a shoutout because I mean Jordan's is a place that my family love coming to. I mean at least once or twice a week.

Thomas Coronado (06:53):

I remember you guys when you Yeah, you first came in and then who knew we'd be sitting right here two years later, <laugh>

Marsh Naidoo (07:03):

And your Thomas and his mom have done the most awesome act of kindness. Tuesday, October the sixth was actually well Cerebral Palsy Day and these guys contributed 50% of their sales that day to raisingkellan.org. So that we can use those funds and move towards the idea of creating an audiobook for what I wish I knew back then, which is a book that was written by myself as well as three other moms that we've put together for parents that are recently faced with a diagnosis of developmental delay/disability and not quite sure in which direction to move. But this book is a book of encouragement. We wanted to move on to get that put into an audio format. So that is what the funds from Charming and Christine's generosity of supporting our nonprofit is going to towards. So you have done an amazing act of kindness, Tommy

Thomas Coronado (08:17):

Marsh, it's our pleasure. And that's one of the things Christine will tell you this too we believe business should have more of a higher purpose other than just making money. If you're just in a business just to make money and not help others, then we don't necessarily believe there should be more. And that's what we want to do. We want to help the community. We want to try to give back. Yes, we're a business, yes, we gotta of course make money of course to stay open. But we believe having a purpose definitely is a top priority and to give back always.

Marsh Naidoo (09:00):

What is the vision for Jordans where you as the co-owner, because you very active in managing the business charming. I mean you are there six days a week. I mean, what is the vision that you have for Jordans

Thomas Coronado (09:16):

Eventually? We have talked about a second location still a little too early, but we have discussed various cities in this area that we want to grow to. Absolutely. And we wanna keep it when we do expand, we wanna keep it local. We don't necessarily want to grow as a McDonald's and then become too corporate. Our goal will always be to keep it local and to keep it small. Do you remember when we first met you guys, you came into the store? Yes. You remember that day?

Marsh Naidoo (09:57):

Absolutely. Because we actually came to the store for Jordan's birthday. It was in September. And you had a Facebook post out there basically saying it's Jordan's birthday, come celebrate with us. And I'm like, oh my God, how neat of a place to go to that supports the special needs community. And that's when we first meet you and your family and Jordan. Yes, I do remember that day. <laugh>.

Thomas Coronado (10:26):

Yeah. Yeah. It was just really something just to meet you and Kellan and how nice you were and to meet and I think we just clicked. We knew we'd be friends with you guys <laugh>. Absolutely.

Marsh Naidoo (10:44):

So you are Jordan's big brother <affirmative> and I know that it is not all roses being a sibling. Is there any advice that you could offer to other special needs siblings?

Thomas Coronado (11:03):

What I would say is you gotta be patient, be mindful just try to be understanding. That would be my advice. And of course I would say everyone's family is not all roses <laugh>,

Marsh Naidoo (11:23):

But you roll with the flow, don't you? And you do your best for your sibling

Thomas Coronado (11:26):

One day at a time.

Marsh Naidoo (11:28):

Absolutely. One day at a time. Guys go back to episode number seven. In that episode, Jessica Leving talks about being a special needs. She has a podcast as well, which you guys can definitely need to check that out. Where she talks about her and bully, who is actually her young adult brother that has a diagnosis of autism as well. So definitely check out Jessica Leving and the Special Siblings Podcast. Tommy what have you guys got planned for the store?

Thomas Coronado (12:08):

Well right now we're doing the Blue Pumpkins, right? That's going on. So if you come to Jordan's giving away these blue pumpkins for trick or treaters, the blue pumpkin is a symbol to show that a child or even an adult Jordan has some sort of special needs and it's meant to give people a heads up.

Marsh Naidoo (12:31):

And you tell me what your idea behind that is.

Thomas Coronado (12:37):

Well, we didn't create the blue pumpkin, but we heard about it through an article. We just came across it on Facebook one day and then we thought to ourselves, well let's just go buy some at Walmart and then we'll give 'em away at our store. And then that's just another way to give back to the community and to help those kids or those families that might have financial difficulties that might not be able to get them a pumpkin.

Marsh Naidoo (13:08):

But the blue pumpkin as well will would perhaps in a way adults that are handing out candy kind of know that perhaps just be more mindful of how you approach a child, not just kind of scare them or just go up on them, but rather just maintain. Yeah. Just to be mindful and that's all it is. It's not identifying. Not identifying or to be anything more than just be cautious on how you approach the child.

Thomas Coronado (13:44):

Right? Yeah, absolutely. I remember my mom when Jordan was younger would take her trick or treating and she would always have to explain 20 times to 20 houses. Like, hey, okay, she's special needs. Sometimes Jordan wouldn't say trick or treat. So Christine would say it for her and she would always have to explain that a little bit. Or people, the house would look at her funny or didn't quite understand. So that's the symbolism of the blue pumpkin is to help just to help be more mindful, a little more understanding.

Marsh Naidoo (14:25):

So for parents that would wanna pick up a blue pumpkin, all they would need to do?

Thomas Coronado (14:33):

They just have to come to the store, no purchase necessary, we'll give them a free pumpkin.

Marsh Naidoo (14:39):

Awesome. Yeah. So guys that's coming up for Halloween now. We are recording this on October 10th and Halloween. It's gonna be on a Saturday this year as well. And I know that some parents are being mindful of the current pandemic and social distancing, but hey, I mean even if you get a blue pumpkin and you fill up your kid's pumpkin, you know what I mean?

Thomas Coronado (15:03):

We'll have candy too to give away. They're not doing the trick-or-treating thing due to the pandemic. They can come to our store, we'll give 'em candy too. All

Marsh Naidoo (15:12):

Right, that sounds an awesome deal Tommy. So any other promotions that are coming up?

Thomas Coronado (15:20):

I'll tell you this, what we are gonna do last year we did a drawing towards the end of the year to give someone a free pizza for a year and then we'll do that again this year. We'll draw a name on Facebook Live and someone will win free pizza for a year.

Marsh Naidoo (15:40):

Is Jordan's like corporation?

Thomas Coronado (15:45):

It's It's just a store that we just own it. Okay. It's we're not a chain or we bought the building ourselves.

Marsh Naidoo (15:55):

Is that the old Sonic building, right?

Thomas Coronado (15:57):

It is. Yeah. So we bought the building we got the license we needed we did all the work ourselves, all the equipment we bought here and there and we set everything up ourselves. So we own a hundred percent of it. I own 50% of it. My mom owns the other 50, 50%.

Marsh Naidoo (16:19):

So this is your footprint in the community. I mean it's just not like this is not just something that's here for just right now. This is something that you guys wanna build and grow and nurture

Thomas Coronado (16:31):

We'll be here as long as the community lets us be here. The pandemic has been a challenge of course for many businesses. Many businesses have shut down all over the country. But fortunately enough we've been able to stay open. And so we pray, we continue to hope that we can stay open cause we've come so far and it would be really devastating to just lose it all due to the pandemic.

Marsh Naidoo (17:05):

Yes sir. Especially moving towards this fe of season, which in my limited understanding is a really important time for a small business moving towards Christmas. Where am I right in saying this is where most of your sales and business happens, Tommy, or not really?

Thomas Coronado (17:26):

Actually this is time last year towards at the end of the year we had a decline that we did more during the summertime, the beginning of the year and then the wintertime it actually declined some, believe it or not, <laugh>. But if you think about it, it's not surprising cuz you know got Thanksgiving and Christmas. So people have to save their Christmas money to buy gifts, right? That's big in our culture. And then they gotta prepare Thanksgiving, people are traveling back home to see family and then top all that. Now with Corona, the pandemic, we do expect to see more of a decline than last year. But we'll still be open and we'll serve the community.

Marsh Naidoo (18:21):

See, it's different when you actually in a business, isn't it? And just, yeah, that's totally different.

Thomas Coronado (18:26):

And we're still learning, just like you and your podcast one day at a time, <laugh>

Marsh Naidoo (18:33):

We, me and Tommy are laughing because it just took 30 minutes to set up the equipment. We actually recording this in the Dyersburg Community Library and these ladies are always so gracious to let us use the space and we thankful to Catherine McBride, the director here for making this podcast episode possible. So thanks Catherine <laugh>. Oh me! So those are all the ins and outs guys of doing a podcast and owning a business. You just never know. But you know what? You don't give up trying, it's just one day at a time. You reach out to those that are able to offer assistance or direction and you just try

Thomas Coronado (19:19):

Absolutely one day at a time.

Marsh Naidoo (19:22):

Tommy, how can folks reach you where you are located at? Give us your Facebook details. So if anyone wants to reach out to you all, they can

Thomas Coronado (19:33):

Just search Facebook on search for Jordan's, grab and go. You'll find the page. You can also give us a call 7 3 1 2 8 7 0 0 7 0 2 and we are located on 1809 St. John in Dyersburg, just across from that cemetery.

Marsh Naidoo (19:55):

Okay. All right. And Tommy, I thank you for your time. Thank you for believing in RaisingKellan.org Well, and guys, go back and listen to Christine on episode number three and has always spread the message of Jordan's Grab and Go as well as of the Raising Kellan Blog podcast. And we would really appreciate a rate and review on the podcast. All right, thanks Tommy. Guys, as always, remember, get to the top of that mountain and this is Marsh Schneider signing off.