By: Brady Seay

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For many small businesses, opening the doors is only the beginning. Keeping a business running while dealing with rising costs, competition, and changing customer habits can be an even bigger challenge. Aloha Waffle Bar is a Jacksonville business that has worked to maintain its presence while competing in the local food industry. 

Aloha Waffle Bar opened in Jacksonville in 2021 and focuses on Hawaiian-inspired waffles, coffee, boba and desserts. The family-owned business has locations in River City Marketplace and Jacksonville Beach, giving customers a different option from traditional breakfast and dessert restaurants. 

Running a restaurant comes with many expenses that customers may not always see. Businesses have to pay for employees, food, rent, utilities, equipment, and other operating costs. At the same time, restaurants have to keep their prices reasonable enough that customers continue to come back. 

Competition can also make it difficult for a small restaurant to maintain a steady customer base. Jacksonville has hundreds of restaurants, coffee shops, and breakfast spots competing for people’s attention. Social media has also become an important part of attracting customers, meaning small businesses must constantly find ways to promote themselves and stay relevant. 

For a business like Aloha Waffle Bar, maintaining its identity can be just as important as making money. The restaurant’s Hawaiian-inspired menu gives it something different from many other local restaurants, but continuing to provide that experience requires consistency. 

Small businesses also depend heavily on their relationship with customers. Unlike large restaurant chains, local businesses do not always have the same resources for advertising or expansion. Building repeat customers and creating a positive experience can make a major difference in keeping the business going. 

Aloha Waffle Bar shows some of the challenges that come with maintaining a small business in Jacksonville. Opening a restaurant may attract attention at first, but continuing to operate requires adapting to competition, managing expenses, and giving customers a reason to come back. 

By: Joshua Stobe

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Weather and climate are related but they are not at all the same. Jacksonville’s weather varies day to day, though the summers are consistently hot and humid. The winters bring temperatures that are cold for native Floridians, but the average monthly low temperatures hover between 44ºF and 53ºF, despite the temperatures reaching as low as 22ºF in January 2026.  

But Floridians don’t fear the cold, and they prefer the heat; but they won’t be preferring it for much longer. That’s because of the wet-bulb temperatures that suffocate the state like a soggy blanket.  

Wet-bulb temperatures are the temperatures experienced in circumstances where the humidity is measured at 100% in the air. Wet-bulb temperatures are life-threatening at temperatures around 88ºF. They are threatening because in these conditions sweat cannot evaporate off the body, thus we lose the ability to cool down via sweat. Jacksonville residents know all too well the average daytime summer temperature is around 90ºF to 92ºF, and the average summer humidity levels in Jacksonville exceed 90% humidity in the morning hours. 

None of this is surprising considering Jacksonville, and the rest of the state is in prime position to experience these conditions. Florida is a peninsula and the warm water which surrounds the state also heavily permeates the atmosphere. The state is also in a tropical zone situated closer to the equator than most states, and that also causes regional temperatures to be naturally higher. Because Florida’s landmass is rather thin compared to incredibly wide states such as Texas or Alaska, the air surrounding Florida heats quicker in conjunction with the aforementioned warm waters off the coasts and in the air.  

Wet-bulb temperatures got the name because they used to be measured by wrapping a wet cloth or towel around the bulb of the thermometer to gauge the actual temperature.  

Next time you find yourself outside facing wet-bulb temperatures, some things to prevent falling ill to the heat are to wear loose clothing, properly hydrate, seeking A/C-equipped shelter, and pausing any strenuous work. 

By: Rachel Mates

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Making a custom candle is only the beginning at Wick N Twisted. Instead of sending customers elsewhere while their candles finish, owners Chris and Sara designed a space that makes the wait part of the experience  

The idea, however, began long before its doors opened in Jacksonville Beach.  

A visit to a candle-making shop in Cincinnati sparked their interest in the hands-on experience of creating a custom candle. Their time in Charlotte introduced them to self-pour tap rooms where customers could pour their own drinks, play games and socialize. 

That’s when it came to them: Why not combine candle making and an entertaining space designed for customers to stick around?  

That idea became Wick N Twisted, where customers can choose from a wall of fragrances, create a custom scent and pour a candle of their own. But the experience doesn’t end once the wax is poured.  

Hidden within the candle wall is a door leading to another side of the space, with additional seating, shuffleboard, pool, arcade games and a self-pour beer and wine wall. Customers can also bring food from nearby restaurants and enjoy it in space while they wait for their candles to finish setting. 

Beyond the games, drinks and candle-making, Wick N Twisted also invites local artists and businesses to offer classes while customers wait for their candles. 

“We are a local company, and what we do is try to provide local businesses an opportunity to grow inside our business,” Chris said. 

They currently work with about 14 local artists who offer activities, including sourdough making, cooking classes, and painting. These collaborations give customers another way to spend their time while their candles finish and give local creators an opportunity to share what they do.  

The partnerships are also visible throughout the taproom, where artwork from local artists is displayed on the walls. By hosting classes and showcasing their work, Wick N Twisted gives local creators another opportunity to share their talents with the community. 

The goal of bringing people together extends beyond the classes. The taproom can accommodate larger groups, from birthday celebrations to team-building events, whether candle making is part of the occasion or not.  

“They’ll bring teams in so they can do team building because it’s something unique that a company, a business or a nonprofit can enjoy,” Sara said. 

For Chris and Sara, keeping customers around was also about making the experience more personal. After visiting candle stores around the country that sent customers away while their candles finished, they knew they wanted to take a different approach.  

“We didn’t want to do that,” Chris said. “It wasn’t very personable, and we wanted to get to know each and every one of our customers.” 

What was once missing from the candle-making experience has found a place at Wick N Twisted.