JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two Northwest Jacksonville business owners closed their doors, saying a challenging economy, changing consumer spending habits, and financial pressures have made it difficult to continue operating.
For years, both businesses served as gathering places for the community — one through photography and content creation, the other through food and fellowship. Now, their owners are saying goodbye.
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Carissa Glanton recently closed The Selfie Showroom, a photography and content creation space that operated in Jacksonville for four years.
“A lot of people came here to celebrate birthdays, take pictures, and have a unique experience,” Glanton said. “It was something different that I really wanted to bring to Jacksonville.”
But by the middle of last year, she said business began slowing down.
“That’s when things started to trickle down for us, and it was just hard to keep the operations going,” Glanton explained.
The Selfie Room officially closed on May 17.
For Glanton, the hardest part isn’t losing the business itself.
“It’s letting down the community,” she said. “We built so much here with Selfie Fest, and we’re doing all these parties here. It was like we were building our own community here, so and there’s a lot of people who, you know, wanted something different in Jacksonville and they really enjoyed this place.”
Just a few minutes away at Trout River Food Truck Park, another owner is facing a similar reality.
Chef Love, owner of Chef Love Sol Cuisine, announced she is also closing after five years in business.
Business, she said, has become increasingly difficult.
“Challenging. Uncertain. Confusing. Doubtful,” Chef Love said when asked how business has been lately.
The food truck has operated at Trout River Food Truck Park since 2023, after relocating from Arlington.
“The Northside embraced me with so much love,” she said. “They wanted Chef Love, and they’ve proven that to me.”
Despite strong community support, Chef Love said economic uncertainty has taken a toll on sales.
“We’ve seen a big decrease because of the economy,” she said. “People are unsure right now. Going out to eat is a luxury for many families. Even though I feel my food is affordable, it still comes out of their income.”
Chef Love also believes small businesses face unique challenges that many customers don’t always see.
“It takes a lot of sacrifice — financially, emotionally, and creatively,” she said. “Small businesses are not built overnight.”
Both owners said the most difficult part of closing is saying goodbye to the people who supported them.
“My customers have followed me from photography into the Selfie Room,” Glanton said. “Letting them down is what made this really hard.”
Chef Love echoed that sentiment.
“My customers, my team, and my community depended on me,” she said. “They’ve been sending messages and showing me love through all of this. I’ll never forget that.”
The two owners also spoke about the importance of supporting local businesses before they’re gone.
“When you don’t have the small businesses, you don’t have a good, solid community,” Chef Love said. “They need a place to go, because not everybody can go across the bridge.”
While both storefronts are closing, neither owner says this is the end of their journey.
Glanton hopes to remain involved in creative and community-focused work, while Chef Love says she plans to take time to reflect before deciding what’s next.
“Chef Love is not over,” she said. “I’m excited about the future. But right now, I need to take a break and look back at everything we’ve accomplished.”
For both women, the closures mark the end of one chapter — and the beginning of another.
“It’s not over,” Chef Love said. “I gave it my all.”
The City of Jacksonville says help is available through its Office of Economic Development, which offers resources ranging from startup assistance to business incubator programs and financial incentives.
More information can be found on the city’s website.