Bloomfield cafe celebrates its grand opening

Photo Courtesy of Claudia Jackson
Bloomfield officials gather with the staff of Big Bill’s Corner Cafe on Feb. 26 for the eatery’s grand opening.

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Big Bill’s Corner Cafe on Hoover Avenue in Bloomfield celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 26. Big Bill’s staff gathered with Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia; Bloomfield Township Council members Nicholas Joanow, Jenny Mundell, Sarah Cruz and Rich Rockwell; and the community. 

Cafe chef and owner Ricky Davis opened the cafe in honor of his grandfather, Big Bill, who owned and operated a cafe in North Carolina. As a southerner himself, Davis has created a menu that offers food “Where North Meets South,” marrying northern dishes with hints of southern flavoring, as well as some cafe staples. 

Since opening in October, Davis has hosted two fundraisers at the cafe: a “Drink Drive” benefiting the Church on the Green and a “Dine Around Town” benefiting Brookdale Elementary School. In March, Big Bill’s is hosting a drop box for feminine hygiene products in support of Women’s History Month, a project coordinated by Bloomfield Councilwomen Mundell, Cruz and Wartyna Davis. 

The grand opening also featured the cafe’s first pop-up art show, “Black Visions,” in honor of Black History Month; the show included pieces by Dayana Poulard, Ron Powell, Lidiane Fortes-Francisco, Papa Gora Tall and curator Maria Estrela.