By Nelson A. King
Davis Gayle, Jr., the proprietor
of Tropical Paradise Restaurant
and Tropical Paradise Ballroom,
one of the most outstanding
business people in the Brooklyn
area, said the COVID-19 pandemic
has forced him to sell his
businesses on Utica Avenue in
the heart of the Caribbean community
in Brooklyn.
Gayle, 56, told Caribbean
Life on Wednesday, in an exclusive
interview, that he has since
relocated to Orlando, Fl., where
he is in the process of starting a
franchise there.
“It was definitely a difficult
decision to make but, after
weighing my options post-
COVID-19, there were many
opportunities in Florida,” he
said. “So, I decided to follow my
intuition.
“I decided to sell Tropical
Paradise Ballroom’s location of
operation, due to the outbreak
of COVID-19, to an unnamed
corporation,” he added. “The
staple brand name of Tropical
Paradise will continue in the
Sunshine State, in Orlando.
Our brand was established in
September 2001.”
Gayle said he relocated to
Orlando in December last year.
“Residing in Florida has
always been my dream, mainly
due to the beautiful climate,
and also it’s closer in proximity
to the Caribbean,” he said. “My
business plans are to create a
Caribbean atmosphere, where
I can bring different cultures
together to experience a taste of
the islands.”
Gayle said Tropical Paradise
will be opening its new location
in July at 73 South Semoran
Blvd., Orlando.
“I would like to extend my
gratitude to all my customers
for supporting Tropical Paradise
for the past 20 years,” he said.
“The devastation of the pandemic
Caribbean L 26 ife, MAY 14-20, 2021
that we all were affected
by in 2020 shall be soon overcome.”
Born and raised in Brooklyn,
of Honduran parentage, Gayle,
affectionately called Junior, has
distinguished himself and his
establishments.
With fierce entrepreneurial
will and a genuine love for people,
he has taken the business of
restaurants to new heights and
has transformed the Tropical
Paradise franchise into a veritable
cultural center.
Tropical Paradise Restaurant
opened on Sept. 8, 2001 offering
a wide range of West Indian
dishes.
In addition to being frequented
by top artists, Tropical Paradise
was well known in the Caribbean
community as a nurturing
ground for new artists.
The Tropical Paradise Ballroom
opened on Nov. 8, 2008.
The large ballroom with its mirror
walls and beautiful chandeliers
quickly became “the place”
for weddings, birthday parties
and community events.
Gayle started in business in
1979 working in his father’s,
Dave Gayle, Sr., meat market.
He continued to learn and
absorb all that he could about
the business from his father
while pursuing his own career
path.
In 1988, he joined the New
York City Department of Corrections,
Davis Gayle, Jr. and dad, Davis Gayle, Sr.. Neil Dedier
serving as a corrections
officer for 13 years.
Gayle worked the night shift
at the Anna M. Kross Center,
the largest correctional facility
on Rikers Island.
By day, he continued to help
his father build one of the best
known meat markets in Brooklyn,
at 4807 Church Ave.
COVID-19 forces Tropical Paradise’s
owner to relocate to Florida
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