Today we’d like to introduce you to Josette/Darryl Coleman
Hi Josette and Darryl, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Josette S. Coleman, co-founder of College Boy cheesesteaKs and head of operations.
Before birthing the conception of College Boy cheesesteaKs, Josette was a Registered Nurse in one of Philadelphia main hospitals for over 15 years. During her nursing career she earned her Bachelor’s degree with the intent of restructuring her Mother’s private home health agency of 30 years. Moving onto the new business at Retirement & Transition Inc. was uneventful til that day in April of 2015.
April 29, 2015, was a “gut wrenching day” as she described. Josette loss the eldest of her two son’s, Kevin, in a motorcycle accident, a week before his graduation. Kevin’s passing was at a high in her family lives. They were graduating with their Bachelors degrees and her younger son LeMeir was a bustling tattoo artist in Philly. Josette accepted Kevin’s posthumous bachelor’s degree in communications from Pennsylvania State University main campus. Kevin was well known and loved at college, his smile touched the lives of those he encountered. A show of love was well received at graduation as the Professor’s honored him and gave a standing ovation.
June 2015, LeMeir packed his bag for LA, as he and Kevin had planned. They both had intentions of moving away from Philadelphia together, with the intent of Kevin working in the filming industry in Los Angeles. During LeMeir’s first 3 months in LA, he called his Mother explaining the food truck business in California. It wasn’t long after that convo before LeMeir was flying back and forth tattooing bi-coastal and interning at Fred’s water Ice of Philadelphia. In June 2016, LeMeir brought his first food truck in philadelphia. On September 4, 2017, Happy Ice Food Truck opened for business on Melrose avenue.
After living in a dark space due to her son’s death, Josette took a flight to visit her son LeMeir in Los Angeles, in 2017. She stated LeMeir was making major moves with his life and tattoo career. She was just going to check everything out, everything was just fine. But, something else occurred with her, she stated, “it was like a breath of fresh air”.
In March of 2019, Josette decided to go visit with her son before going back to work, 4 years on a personal leave of absence. Wednesday she landed in California, Friday they shut the world down, the pandemic hit, 18 months she stayed in California, taking in all the fresh air, sites and witnessing the birth of her 1st Granddaughter Summer. During that time her craving for a cheesesteak came about. LeMeir had warned her that California was the last place to get a cheesesteak from. She didn’t believe him and a lunch date for cheesesteaks was planned. Three restaurants, all “NO GO’s”, as they exited the last one, Josette blurted out “let’s build a cheesesteak truck like Happy Ice”. Her nursing career went out the door and that was the conception of College Boy cheesesteaks, in Memory of College Boy Kev. College Boy Kev was Kevin’s social media handle, which is still being operated today. #CBKforever
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Obstacles, how many do you want to know about, Lol! Business, “busi’ ness says it all. No business is smooth, there are always a lot of obstacles. But, what’s most important is to handle business without personal emotion.
To be a entrepreneur one must accept that this is a relentless road of sacrifices and many uncomfortable positions. But, when you float in positivity and minimalize distractions, it will all eventually pay off. One must not loose site of their vision and continuously set and conquer their goals. Success is not built in comfort, success is built with tenacity and knowing failure is not an option!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about College Boy cheesesteaKS?
The Founders of College Boy Cheesesteaks all moved to Los Angeles starting in 2016. After a few weeks in town they all started craving some of their hometown grub, a Philly Cheesesteak was a first for all. After many failed attempts of full-filling a craving for a hometown Philly cheesesteak in LA, they just gave up. Only resorting to flying back home to eat at all the legendary locations in Philadelphia. Then returning with their suitcases filled with frozen delicacies from home.
In 2018 they decided to put an end to Los Angeles not having a Real Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks. Now their journey begins, flying back and forth to Philly to study the craft and learned about the meat industry. The internship was nothing but God putting them in the right places at the right time. They were blessed to intern with the best in the game. It was then that learned the history behind many legendary locations like Pat’s, Geno’s, Max’s, Jim’s, Delassandro’s and so many more. The best thing they learned during the internship was the correct way to make an Authentic Philly Cheesesteak. The sandwich may seem simple, but the details and experience it takes to go into delivering a real Philly cheesesteak is tedious.
After an amazing internship College Boy came back to LA and practice on portable flat top grills during the pandemic, as seen on Black Ink Compton. After a couple year of woes, they jumped out there and pushed forward to build a food truck. On June 29, 2021 Superior Catering Trucks delivered “Big Redz”, College Boy cheesesteak food truck on some shiny rims.
On September 27th, 2021, sparkling and shiny College Boy rolled up to Lancaster, CA Monday Bitez events and opened up to serve its 1st Real Philly cheesesteaks to the public. The reception was Fantastic, the start to all roads lead to College Boy. Today, you may find College Boy at Monday Bitez event, it’s apart of their weekly schedule.
Their journey has been nothing but amazing through the hustle and grind of new entrepreneurship. Their only purpose is to give a real Philly Cheesesteak experience to everyone in California and eventually the rest of the world. College Boy cheesesteaKs is the only place to get a “REAL PHILLY CHEESESTEAK, FROM REAL PHILADELPHIANS “.
Follow them on social media to get their schedule and locations @CollegeBoycheesesteaKs. Then pull up to get one of these “Jawns”, hope to see you😋
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Covid was a lesson for all to learn from. Never bite off more you can chew,
Pricing:
- Alumni Meal starts at $20.68
- Alumni sandwich starts at $16.30
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.collegeboysteaks.com
- Instagram: @CollegeBoycheesesteaKs
- Facebook: @CollegeBoycheesesteaKs
- Twitter: @CollegeBoycheesesteaKs
- Yelp: College Boy cheesessteaKs
