By: Sebastian Baez

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The Chamblin Bookmine has featured a banned books display since 2022, showcasing literature that Duval County did not approve for educational use in varying grades across k-12. Today, the display regularly rotates books that have been placed on the ban list. 

Some of these books include A Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin and Looking for Alaska by John Green.  

“Our goal is to A: educate the community as much as we can, but B: also get those books into people’s hands as much as we can,” said Abby Bell, manager at Chamblin. “It’s just education. There’s a lot of people who will walk by the display and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I had no idea that book was banned!’ or ‘Why was that book banned?’ and so they’ll be more likely to pick it up.” 

Chamblin employees say that discovering books like “Puss n’ Boots” or “How to Eat Fried Worms” is both disheartening and difficult, as the Duval County review board is constantly adding books to the challenged or banned list.  

This leads to not only contention with authors, but teachers as well. Educators often struggle with ensuring that the books in their classrooms are not only beneficial and entertaining for the students, but compliant with local laws. 

“They try to say that the list is easy to find, and it’s accessible for everyone to look it up and know what books are banned, but it’s actually kind of difficult to keep track of,” said Carly Biesiada, general manager of Chamblin.  

“Especially when they’re doing books weekly, it seems like. And I think with the customer base, the number one issue we run into is people being like ‘books aren’t banned!’ or ‘it’s fake!’”  

Biesiada says that since the list changes so often, it’s become common practice for employees to check every one to two days. 

At the banned book display, authors like Stephen King and John Green sit. Many of the books include topics like race, gender and fantasy, among others. The topic of discussing such themes in classrooms remains controversial even today. 

Keeping these banned books affordable and accessible for children remains a top priority for Chamblin, providing an easy way for young readers to access books for a reasonable price. Bell said that the ones who come in the most are teens and children.  

Even today, books are being challenged in Duval, with Chamblin standing with authors to ensure everyone’s story can be told.  

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By: Isabella Lazo

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El Cubano Jax started as a simple idea during the pandemic, but has grown into a recognizable name
in Jacksonville’s food scene. However, the journey has been anything but easy for owner and Miami native Esteban Azofiefa.

Azofeifa considers himself a chef by trade and started El Cubano Jax in 2020 using
a hot dog cart with a flat top grill. In his spare time, he began making Cuban sandwiches
inspired by the food he grew up with in South Florida.

“El Cubano Jax was a business I started during the pandemic in 2020 and being from South Florida, it was just something that I really, really enjoyed,”—Azofeifa said.

At the time, Cuban sandwiches were not as common in Jacksonville, and Azofeifa saw an
opportunity to bring something familiar from home to a new community. What started as a
small setup at local bars and breweries quickly began to grow, gaining attention and building a
loyal customer base. Along with the expansion were also several challenges.

Over time, El Cubano was forced to close three different times, not because of anything
Azofeifa did, but because the breweries he was operating at had shut down. Each closure meant
starting over, finding a new location, and rebuilding momentum from the ground up. He faced that same reality again recently.

“To have to go through the heartbreak of essentially closing your business because
another business had to close is really what hurts,” Azofeifa said. “You get told, ‘hey, we’re
shutting down tomorrow.’”

For Azofeifa, the repeated setbacks have been both frustrating and emotional. Each time
the business closes, it is not just about losing a location. It is about losing stability, routine, and
the progress he worked to build. Despite that, he has continued to move forward.

Rather than walking away, Azofeifa has chosen to rebuild each time, holding on to the
idea that started it all. What began as a side project during the pandemic has turned into
something much more personal, shaped by both success and struggle.

While the future of El Cubano Jax remains uncertain, his commitment to the business
has not changed. Through every setback, the focus has stayed the same: continuing to bring his
food to the Jacksonville community.

In the end, El Cubano Jax represents more than just a place to grab a sandwich. It
reflects the reality of running a small business, where success often comes with challenges that
cannot always be controlled.

For updates on El Cubano Jax and where the food truck will be next, customers can
follow @elcubanojax on social media

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