For over twenty years, Joan Palmer successfully operated Best Buy Gold Shop on High Street in Black River, St. Elizabeth. Her enterprise, which specialized in jewelry, small appliances, and various household goods, was completely obliterated when Category 5 Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28. The catastrophic storm shattered the store’s glass front, enabling powerful floodwaters from the adjacent sea and river to inundate the premises, sweeping away the majority of her inventory valued at millions of dollars.
The devastation extended beyond her commercial enterprise. Palmer’s rented residence sustained extensive damage, resulting in the loss of personal belongings and furniture worth additional millions. The hurricane’s impact also crippled the businesses of her husband, Zepheniah, who ran a furniture operation, and her son, Damor, who operated a phone store on the same street. The collective destruction left three employees jobless and presented overwhelming challenges for the family.
Demonstrating remarkable resilience, Palmer relocated her business approximately 25 miles away to Junction, St. Elizabeth, where her son provided space for both her and her husband to restart their ventures. The new location has begun attracting her former customer base from Black River, who now have limited shopping alternatives. Support also came from suppliers in Kingston and Montego Bay, who provided goods on credit and through donations.
A client of JN Bank Small Business Loans (JNSBL) for nearly 25 years, Palmer sought financial assistance to accelerate her recovery. The institution responded by restructuring her existing short-term loan—extending its repayment period and increasing its value—and providing a new long-term loan to facilitate business stabilization.
Jacqueline Jeffers, Client Relations Manager at JNSBL, emphasized the organization’s commitment to small business owners during disasters, noting that their support extends beyond mere financing to include personalized guidance and practical recovery solutions. Palmer credits her faith and the timely financial intervention for enabling her to move forward, offering encouragement to other entrepreneurs facing similar hardships to proactively seek help and persevere.