Doug Jones of Juke Joint Sweets
“Juke Joint Sweets” is not only a tasty reminder of Dough Jones’ childhood, but also tells a beautiful story. Meet Doug Jones: the creator and owner of this booming new brand now at Binya! His story is why we have these amazing treats today. He was gracious enough to answer all of our burning questions on how he got started and so we can learn a little bit more about this entrepreneur.
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
“I’m Doug Jones, the owner of Juke Joint Sweets. A native Islander whose grandparents' roots are at the very heart of the lowcountry, from Mitchelville to Pinckney Island. Juke Joint Sweets was born out of my love for food, good times, the history, and stories of my family’s connection to juke joints, moonshine.
You can say this all started from stories and my grandma’s sweet potato pie. It was epic back in the day, my Nana’s pies literally changed lives. I naturally had a knack for baking, so it was only fitting I had to make a sweet potato pie halfway decent to live up to the legend. While I was still in high school one holiday, I decided I was going to make a pie, but I had to have my own spin on it and decided to add pralines. From there my experimentation with flavors was born.
I’ve always loved watching that subtle nod and smile the moment after someone takes their first bite and falls in love with what they are eating. The flavors, fragrances, and mouthfeel you get from tasting something so delectable you keep going back for more. After that first praline topped pie, I decided to add bacon to the pralines, using them to garnish cakes, it never occurred to me that the pralines were that great. I’ve always been creative, though it’s taken many forms throughout my life. From making questionable concoctions in the kitchen, to when I was eight years old selling clumps of dirt, I carved into designs around my old apartment complex as a child (yes, I literally sold people dirt sculptures). My creative side continued to grow from copywriting, graphic design, and even decorating cakes for my two kids. I just love to push the envelope of my creativity with what they ask me to make. I’ve made sharks filled with maple bacon buttercream, and llama piñatas made with chocolate cake and blueberries. If you can’t tell, the one constant in my life has always been food.
The connection to my family, juke joints and moonshine kept coming back to me. The stories of my great-great grandma Josephine Isabella Seabrook who ran a juke joint on Pinckney Island and then one on Lady’s Island, called Belle’s Place. With her and her sister Sarah Jenkins Miller both made moonshine that was distilled right on Pinckney Island. Hence the name of one of my products Belle’s, which has pecans, sweet potatoes and of course moonshine. The business name took me a while as I’m an overthinker at times. While I was researching and experimenting with potential names for products, I came across David Lauderdale’s article “Juke Joint or Jook Joint? The thrill ain’t gone,” in the Island Packet. Right then all the stories my mom told me about her escapades and antics at juke joints, my Nana’s stories all came flooding back to me, and how awesome it’d be to incorporate moonshine into my pralines, because every good juke joint had to have moonshine.
That’s when Juke Joint Sweets was born, out of my love for my family’s history to the land and connections to something that brings so much joy. From what I’ve been told there is nothing like going to the juke joint, dancing, and having fun. That’s what I want everyone to taste with their first bite.”
Juke Joint Sweets represents so much more than treats and good bites to eat, but those are certainly significant parts of it. Here at Binya, we hold heritage and family very close. If you’re interested in what Doug Jones has to offer, our stock at Binya will fill any cravings you may have, and offer support to this amazing and heartwarming story.