Circus Circus or Mother’s?
A trip down memory lane
Technically speaking, the concept of Mother’s didn’t quite begin as the Mother’s we know today but actually as Circus Circus, an idea for a brightlycoloured ice-cream store that would unleash its bold new flavour in the frozen desserts market. In fact, the dynamic trio - driven by a highly-motivated, Richard, whose ambition was to divert from the family business into fast food – had their minds set on creating a hybrid restaurant model twinning ice cream and hamburgers. Such a restaurant, they believed, would compete alongside then hamburger giant, Road Runner, touting dessert as a unique selling point.
So how did ice cream become patties? The ice cream equipment had not yet arrived on island but since a location in Cross Roads, St. Andrew was already secured, they decided to sell patties in the interim. That strategic decision to pivot-ordie-trying heralded an experiment phase, where Carlysle and Richard learnt to bake patties using more than 40 different recipes, until after much (and messy) trial and error in A.B.’S kitchen, the perfect patty was formulated. And, they were off! This emergent patty shop was named Mother’s, a name the founding fathers believed was endearing because, after all, who can rival your own mother’s delicious home-cooked meals. So with its first two staffers, an exuberant Carlysle and inspired Richard, doubling as bakers, counter servers, cashiers, accountants, HR, you name it – Mother’s opened its doors on July 1, 1981.
The quest to find an ideal location for their original ice cream store idea continued until finally, Circus Circus found its home in present-day Park Plaza, Half Way Tree. Not long after, they opened a factory in Cross Roads to manufacture the ice cream and so, with the stage now set for success, Circus Circus began selling the most enticing menu of that era: ice cream plus all that Road Runner sold and a year later, incorporated patties.
Fast track to 1984, with three locations now established: Mother’s in Cross Roads and Circus Circus in both Cross Roads and Half Way Tree. The fourth location was planted in South Parade, where against the backdrop of an immensely busy but dilapidated downtown Kingston, Mother’s created a vibrant oasis with its fresh, neverbefore-seen, modern interior. Despite what seemed like a successful interplay of the two brands at this point, it became increasingly clear to the founding fathers that a crucial decision had to be made to determine which of the two, Mother’s or Circus Circus, would remain. The sea change was largely driven by A.B., who gave a simple yet profound analogy to his more inexperienced business partners: “A circus comes to town and then the circus goes away. Mother’s is here to stay.”
Growing through the Years
In much the same way the Mother’s brand evolved over time, so too did its footprint. The four outlets created in the first four years grew exponentially to become a full-fledged fast food chain, that later evolved into 16 quick service restaurants island-wide.
Drivers of Business Success
Elementally, the single most important driver of the business’ success over these 40 years has been its foundation: the resilient partnership on which it was built. Withstanding the fiery test of four decades (and counting) is credited to a proven recipe of complete transparency and direct communication, combining the best of three different leaders with three diametrically different minds.
As chairman, A.B. Foreman, with his many years’ experience as an insurance executive, ensured sound business practices were adhered to: monthly board meetings, proper accounting and auditing, and effective controls and systems. A.B. later passed the baton to Carl Chantrelle, Jamaican finance guru, who tightened the reigns of financial controls and systems, teaching the young ambitious businessmen the timeless skill of business forecasting. The founding fathers still credit much of their success to the astute guidance of Carl, who later passed the baton of chairmanship to modern day marvel, Basil Naar, who has carried on the enduring legacy of leadership and strategic vision today.
Challenges Overcome
Alas, Jamaica’s infamous banking meltdown of the 1990s appeared to be the most insurmountable of challenges – but Mother’s survived! Many an internal challenge was also overcome; perhaps the most memorable was the opening of the second Mother’s restaurant in Ocho Rios. One day before launch, the project manager delivered the grim report that the outlet could not be opened for an astonishing two weeks. Astounded, but certainly not dismayed, both Richard and Carlysle dropped everything and left for St. Ann. Even with such an impossibly short lead time, the dynamic duo ensured that the store opened promptly at 9’o clock the following morning.
Stepping back to step forward
Initially, there were two Mother’s restaurants in Ocho Rios, but the location closer to Turtle Beach was closed due to recurring flooding from Fern Gully at the time. Two outlets based in the KSA region, West Queen Street and Red Hills Road, were similarly closed due to issues of congestion and security, respectively. Mother’s May Pen restaurant was originally located at the historic landmark location under the clock in the town centre, but was later closed then relocated when the building was sold.
Companywide expansions have had a greater, more enduring impact on the brand’s growth over the 40 years. The expansion of the factory and warehouse have resulted in significant strides in manufacturing scalability and quality management, which continue to positively impact Mother’s operations today. Against this background of sustained growth, the leaders have developed a sound strategic plan, charting the business’s expansion into more territories and its evolution into the world-class
Mother’s of the future.
Then came COVID-19, wielding its catastrophic power over the food industry from as early as March 2020, and hitting pause on a story in the making for 40-years and counting. To be continued, the founding fathers behind Mother’s assure us, the greatest decade yet is not yet over.