A Concise History
Order OnlineSam's History: 1993-2000
September 1993: Sam’s Caribbean Marketplace, Inc. was registered as a NY State Corporation.
December 10, 1993: Sam’s opened its retail store in the parking lot at 43D Main Street, Hempstead, NY
January 23, 1994: Both the NY Times and Newsday newspapers publishes stories about Sam’s. The Times called Sam’s a “hidden treasure.”
April 1994: Using a small toaster oven, Sam’s launched its beef patty business, selling mostly to our neighbors at Nakisaki Restaurant
June 1994: Sam’s held its first Customer Appreciation Week
October 17, 2000: The Wall Street Journal featured Sam’s on the cover page of its Marketplace section.
Sam's History: 2001-2010
June 2003: Sam’s launched its first online store, which was soon discontinued.
August 2003: Sam’s won the Jamaica National Overseas award for “Outstanding Performance in Volume of Money Transfer”
September 2004: Town of Hempstead honored Sam’s with a Certificate of Recognition for Distinguished Service & Commitment to the Community as a Business Owner
June 2005: Sam’s launched www.Sams247.Com, our worldwide access to Sam’s Caribbean.
June 2006: Sam’s first Patty-Eating Contest
Sam's Caribbean Patty-Eating Contest 2008
Sam's 14th Anniversary Celebration: 2009
Sam's History: 2011-2012
November 2011: Sam’s received the Caribbean Heritage Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Innovation and Creativity, presented by the Long Island Caribbean American Association, Inc
June 2011: Hempstead Village honors Sam’s with its Community Service Award
March 2012: By selling the most copies of the Gleaner newspapers, Sam’s won The North American Gleaner’s Honor Award for Outstanding Performance in Sales
Sam's History: 2012-2015
February 28, 2012: After 18 years, Sam’s moved from its Hempstead home to 225 Hempstead Turnpike, West Hempstead, NY
March 2012: Café on the Island, Sam’s in-store restaurant, began serving delicious “home-cooked” meals
April 2012: Andrew Morris won the coveted Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce Outstanding Business Person of the Year Award
February 2014: www.BreadAndButterExpress.com, the fast, easy way to send groceries to loved ones in Jamaica, was launched.
October 2015: The Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), USA presents Sam’s with its Lifetime Achievement Award
Sam's History: 2016-Present
Jambassador Award for Community Service, 2016
Jamaica Consul General’s Heritage Award (Consulate General of Jamaica, NY, NY) 2018
Honors & Awards
Sam’s story has been told in numerous publications and television features, including The NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, Newsday, NY Daily News, the Jamaica Gleaner, Street Hype, and Where Itz At Magazine; Restaurant Hunter (Fios1 TV), Feed Me TV, and Di Riddim Sweet television shows. The company is also featured as a case study in Managing Now, an MBA textbook.
Sam’s has earned numerous awards and citations, including: