by Kristen Wile

Jimmy Pearls will be leaving The Market at 7th Street at the end of January. The popular food truck-turned-food stall’s last day there will be Jan. 30. In the following months, owners Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson will focus on oyster roast pop-ups and catering as they move toward opening a brick-and-mortar space. 

“We want to be that neighborhood spot — that’s always been our vision: being a dope neighborhood spot people can come and kick back and enjoy our food, and we can expand the menu a little bit for those adventurous consumers that want an elevated experience, but still down-home in a way.”

Both Cooper and Johnson are natives of the Hampton Roads, Virginia area, and where Jimmy Pearls takes inspiration from with a seafood focus. Their popular dishes include a fried fish sandwich that’s likely the best in the city as well as crab cakes and fried shrimp. The duo sources local seafood as often as they can, however, taking the dishes to a price point above the usual fish sandwich. 

That’s been somewhat difficult for Jimmy Pearls in the market setting, where many guests pop in for a quick lunch or dinner. It’s not a setting where they can take the time to explain to customers where their seafood comes from and why it costs more. They aren’t willing to sacrifice the quality they’ve become known for to become more appealing to foot traffic, however, which led them to the decision to close shop at the market.

“I could decide, ‘Hey, I just want to make a bunch of money, buy the cheapest food that I can get,’ and my profit margin would be way, way high, because I’m just getting my food from anywhere. It’s easy for some people to do that,” Johnson says. But we talk about integrity and the reputation that I have as a chef and the reputation that Coop has — it’s one of those things we just think is super important, that we stay true to who we are inside and out. Even when people are not watching us, you won’t find us cutting too many corners.”

Johnson says the market was a significant step forward for Jimmy Pearls, as was their time as a food truck. Their presence at 7th Street has allowed them to adjust to what business operations will look like in a standalone space, for example. While they haven’t yet announced where the Jimmy Pearls space will be, Johnson hopes to be open mid-2024. The concept will be fast casual, with more plated options than Jimmy Pearls was able to do in their current space — another step in the progression of Jimmy Pearls, Johnson says. 

“The Market at 7th Street has definitely served as a stepping stone just as much as the food truck previously was a stepping stone, and even before that, our mobile pop-ups,” Johnson says. “Each aspect of Jimmy Pearls has been a stepping stone up to this point. ”

Follow Jimmy Pearls on social media to see where they’ll be popping up for oyster roasts. They will also be available for catering.

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