Bjorn Burke, Staff Reporter

The Jelly Café is the name of the spot in the Corporate Area where people from all walks of life assemble to have a chat - all the while enjoying a refreshing drink of coconut water, or a bit of coconut jelly, too, if you so desire.

A man who wished to be refered to as Jelly Man told our news team that selling coconuts was born out of necessity.

Jelly Man was admittedly a bit apprehensive about speaking for an array of reasons, chief among them, worries about the taxman.

He considered himself a mobile coconut salesman, as he sells his produce out of the trunk of his motor vehicle. His main spot however, is affectionately dubbed the Jelly Café.

"This place is called the Jelly Caé!" the Jelly Man joked.

"All different kinds of people come here. When the fellows dem come out here, dem come to take a breather from the world."

Jelly Man shared that he typically has clientele ranging from professionals inclusive of judges, politicians, lawyers and doctors, and students, and even the 'walk-foot' patrons that loyally come out in support.

After years of working jobs best described as dead-end and finding employment that he said was unable to satisfactorily provide for him, Jelly Man "put pride aside" and sought an alternative.

"Put it like this, mi just come inna the place, look job, yuh work, yuh can't get pay, and the pay that you get, it doesn't add up. It can't finance your lifestyle. So, me just put mi pride aside and say listen man, mi ago sell some jelly and ting," he said.

"This born out of desperation."

He shared that he was forced to leave a job with the Government and set off on his entrepreneurial endeavour.

The Jelly Café benefits from repeat customers. During the interview, several customers visited Jelly Man.

"This man have some very good opinions, I have heard some of them," one male patron who appeared to be a regular customer shared shortly before departing.

"We all know one thing, (when we show up at the Jelly Café), good jelly is right ya so, and good people is right ya so. So, when you come, you are comfortable. You don't have to know another man personally."

The Jelly Café was reminiscent of a scene right out of popular American sitcom television series, Cheers.

The Jelly Man greeted regular faces as they approached, while customers conversed with each other. While much of Cheers was set inside a bar with characters who all knew each other by name, the most apparent difference between the series and the Jelly Café is that beers were swapped out for coconuts, and customers, though mostly unknown to each other, conversed as though they had been friends for years.

The Jelly Café certainly benefits from its recurring 'characters'.

Jelly Man said he has sold coconuts out of his motorcar for four years in varying locations, but the Jelly Café appears to be his favourite spot.

A female patron who approached the mobile coconut stand was particular, requesting that her coconut be chopped and its contents put into a transparent bag.

"I like the coconut water and the fact that it has a lot of health benefits. I'd rather have it than drink some soda or something, with one whole heap of sugar in it," she said.

"And it wash of yuh heart," Jelly Man chimed in.

So smitten with the concept of the Jelly Café (and convinced by a compelling sales pitch as to the health benefits of coconut water), our news team took the time out to unwind while indulging in casual conversation ranging from invaluable life lessons to that of current affairs, seizing the opportunity to sample the product favoured by regulars.

Jelly Man, accompanied by another regular, a bus driver, made mention of the 'Jelly Angels', which appears to be a name given to regular female customers and passers-by who frequently stop to keep abreast of the Jelly Café's affairs.

Unfortunately, for those interested in experiencing the seemingly mythical Jelly Café's offerings, the Jelly Man, during his candid interview, insisted that his location remain covert (or rather, out of the newspapers).

However, if it is you are lucky enough to find the Jelly Café on your own, you won't be disappointed.