Opening ‘soon,’ Jollibee tells eager Fil-Ams in Jacksonville

Anthony Bourdain trying out Jollibee. SCREENGRAB

SAN FRANCISCO — Jollibee will open its first Jacksonville, Florida location “soon,” according to the fast food company’s Facebook reply to anxious Filipinos in the Jacksonville area.

The branch will be the first in Florida, but the company plans to expand to other areas, Agnes Briones, director of new markets for Jollibee North America, announced.

Briones said the Jacksonville Jollibee will be company-owned, not franchised. The city approved the $215,000 restaurant remodel Aug. 1 of the former Kentucky Fried Chicken and A&W Restaurants building at 11884 Atlantic Blvd. in Kernan Village.

Its more than 30 U.S. locations consist of more than 20 in California along with stores in Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington and Virginia.

The U.S. Census Bureau shows the Filipino community has an estimated 17,200 people, about 35 percent of the Asian population in the Jacksonville metro area as of 2014.

The Jollibeeusa.com site’s career page says it seeks store supervisors in several cities, including Jacksonville. It is hiring for full- and part-time positions and for weekend schedules. Candidates are asked to email [email protected].