November 16, 2023
The Jazmin Loft 277 Route 70 Toms River NJ 08755 Picture Source "Jazmin Loft Instagram
Welcome to The Jazmin Loft. The Jazmin Loft is a Black-owned event, banquet, reception, and wedding hall in Toms River, New Jersey. It is the first Black-owned banquet hall in the history of the town. The hall is a beautifully appointed spatial venue conveniently located at 277 Route 70, Toms River, N.J. Inside is an immaculate example of what a banquet hall should look like. The aura of attention to detail hovers over the hall like a mother hen, protecting it and ensuring its quality. The Jazmin Loft has a beautiful story about how it began… let’s meet the owner.
Mr. Deuvele Phillips, owner, operator, and manager of The Jazmine Loft
Mr. Deuvele Phillips is The Jazmin Loft's owner, operator, and manager. His story is fascinating. Mr. Phillips is from Brooklyn, New York. He's a man with a beautiful heart, but the cold streets of the city have a way of making a man abandon what he knows to be right to ensure his children are taken care of. Yes, for years, Deuvele was homeless with four of his six children; two of his children lived with their mothers. He said, "I had to take care of my kids." Mr. Phillips's paramour was lost to drug addiction years before his troubles began; he stepped up and did what good dads do: he took care of his children. Unfortunately, that was by any means necessary. Deuvele has spent some time behind bars due to trying to take care of his responsibilities. Finding a job became more difficult with each stint (see Echo's article on Mass Incarceration, America's Blight, African American's Plight.)
Altogether, he spent six years behind bars. When things seemed only to get darker and bleaker, he leaned on his relationship with God and prayed. He had a strong relationship with his mother. She was always in his corner; even when that corner got too hot for others to bear, she remained steadfast and immovable. His mother and father passed away a couple of years ago, and he still feels their loss. He feels their love even more. Because he was raised in a God-fearing home and was taught the power of prayer, like King Hezekiah of the Bible, he turned his face to the proverbial wall and prayed, just like his mom taught him. God reminded him of his genius and the mind God gave him to produce whatever he could conceive. He found his entrepreneurial talent and used the skills he learned.
Nothing came easy for Deuvele. He struggled to get his business off the ground. He battled discrimination because of the color of his skin and bias due to his criminal history. He pressed on, refusing to give in to the brutal winds of prejudice. He pressed on, with the care of his children on his mind and his refusal to do anything that would separate him from them, he pressed on. After intense determination and consistent perseverance, The Jazmin Loft was born.
Mr. Phillips gives back to the community. He created a non-profit called Men of Purpose. The Men of Purpose non-profit seeks to provide resources for children so that they have something enriching to do with their idled time. He also wants to be a father figure for those children who don't have a strong male presence in their lives. He encourages other adults to join his non-profit to assist in this noble endeavor. He has movie nights and other free events for Lakewood, Manchester, and Toms River youth but is open to anyone. He offers them food as they take in the ambiance of The Jazmin Loft and the interaction of adults who will spend time showing them an optimistic way of facing life's challenges.
Deuvele is a positive addition to the Toms River community; we need more like him. The Echo supports Mr. Phillips and salutes his commitment to excellence, community, and children. Why the name The Jazmin Loft, you ask? That's simple: Mr. Phillips likes Jazz.
To schedule an event or talk to this great young man, he can be reached at:
thejazminloft@gmail.com or 732-994-1962.
