Brandye Mackey is the owner of Mackey’s Munchies, maintains a strong connection to Community, Faith and Food.
Brandye Tabia Mackey, owner with her husband Brian of Mackey’s Munchies, is a native of Colorado. As a youngster, being raised by her father, a pastor, and her mother and step-mother, she found that social and religious restrictions were hard to live by and often acted out. Some people know the term “Pastor’s Kid”–a child of a married religious leader with a rebellious streak that leads to conversations and time spent with police, social workers, and therapists.
Brandye’s inner strength prompted her then and now to search for the reasons “why” things happen. She is a firm believer that her earlier experiences prepared her to deal with situations in her life today.
Needing to establish her own identity and follow her own path in life, Brandye joined the United States Navy after graduating from high school. Because of her home life, she was used to the formality and discipline and rose to the rank of Plane Captain E3. She also met her amazing husband Brian. While he said “It was love at first sight,” Brandye was not as sure, and didn’t commit until her father announced that he’d received divine word from the Holy Spirit that Brian was to be her husband. Brandye is convinced that this inspiration actually came from her father after eating his favorite food which Brian masterfully cooked for him. She and Brian have been married for twenty-two years and have found that the number seven has played an important role in their lives. There are seven years and seven days between their birthdates and their three sons were born seven years apart. Whether or not there’s a symbolic significance in the number seven, Brandye has the “Attitude of Gratitude” for these gifts of family.
She and Brian moved to Jacksonville, FL, in 2004. Transitioning out of the Navy and moving far away from her family further developed her independence. Brian was raised near New Orleans and learned to cook from his mother Rose, as well as attending culinary school and being a Cook in the Navy. But Florida was still “The South” so the differences in social and cultural practices weren’t as striking to him as they were to Brandye. Their restaurant, Mackey’s Munchies, represents their joined spirits of entrepreneurship and love of New Orleans’ cuisine. It also represents their commitment to strive for the best and achieve it.
Brandye is a woman who is sensitive to all critiques–negative and positive. The negative ones still hurt, bringing back memories of her childhood where “No!” was often used and she was told she was was a failure if she didn’t do things in certain ways. She has learned to fight against such feelings of disappointment, and any other rejection of her true nature. She insists that the restaurant be a welcoming place to all. So, in addition to the tasty food, always made to excellent standards, kindness is served in big helpings! Sharing their favorite foods and extending love to others is their paramount principle. She places her faith in her god before profits and looks for ways to serve the community. She tries to fulfill the biblical verse: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” She also practices “being quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” She listens to and tries to understand different points of view on issues and problems. Her latest commitment is to follow Revelation 3:8– “God will open doors no man can shut.”
She has started a campaign for “Open Doors” at Mackey’s Munchies and devotes much time to community betterment (#opendoors868blandingblvd). Serving as a “Hostess with the Mostest” and being a business marketeer, she also helps those wishing to start their own businesses. Tabia, Brandye’s middle name, means “one of many talents” and this is reflected in her many accomplishments. The most recent was was being a recipient of the 2020 African-American Entrepreneur Association Award. Some of the many events held at the restaurant (or in other venues) are Mrs. Mackey’s Fashion Show (benefitting PACE Center for Girls), Come Grab a Plate Thanksgiving Dinner, Juneteenth celebrations, and Light Up the Night, Your Future is Bright–a backpack and school supply event. Approximately 200 backpacks were given out–in conjunction with Tanisha Crisp of Eventful Journeys and Black Lives Alliance of Clay County. At all times at the restaurant there is a registered Little Free Library, stocked with donated books to be freely taken by the community’s residents. She hopes to continue spreading kindness, love and support through her future endeavors.
Mackey’s Munchies on the web.
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