Ricky Bernard and Marcia Ricketts, owners of The Island House Restaurant at 242 Broad St have been in the restaurant business for over 15 years. They opened their first restaurant in Pawtucket in 1997. They owned a restaurant on Lonsdale Ave for three years, where they held their now 13 year old son’s baby shower. The couple became full owners of The Island House in 2019 after four years in business.
The Island House feeds the homeless on Broad St from the back of their restaurant, and keeps a swear jar inside to prevent any foul language! Their restaurant is located in close proximity to 3 high schools, so they have are very popular among students. They are proud to share Jamaican and American food with their community.
On Mother’s Day of 2019, a car crashed into the restaurant, forcing Island House to close for two months. After overcoming this struggle, the Island House now faces the same struggle that many local businesses are facing; trying to keep their business going through COVID-19. With schools being closed, Island House has lost many of their student customers.
In an effort to help small businesses like Island House get back on their feet through the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Providence City Council and the Providence Revolving Fund created a Micro-Business Loan Program. This program provides loans to small businesses in Providence’s commercial corridors. Island House, in Ward 11, represented by Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris was awarded one of these loans. With their loan, Ricky and Marcia plan to get outdoor seating for their restaurant, an app for faster takeout to better cater to their student customers, plexi-glass sheilds and other social distancing measures to keep their employees safe and healthy.
Be sure to stop by The Island House restaurant to try out some great Jamaican and American food and support local business! Congratulations on behalf of Councilwoman Harris and the City Council to Ricky, Marcia and the rest of the Island House staff!
