"Kula Jay's Ube Kafe held a soft opening on Nov. 15, bringing its pop-up business to life in an existing food business known as Gerly's Ice Cream, which was temporarily closed for the season and whose owner allowed Kula Jay's to use the space through spring 2026. According to photos and videos online, the business had already garnered lines out the door for its menu of lattes and sweet treats utilizing the ingredient ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines."
"But a city spokesperson said the owners of Kula Jay's weren't allowed to move into the space occupied by Gerly's, which city officials said also had an expired health license. "It is ISD's understanding as it was communicated to us, that the Kuya Jay's Ube Café mistakenly thought that they could utilize Gerly's food license to operate without any revisions or additional review, which they cannot," a city spokesperson said."
"The first closure occurred on Nov. 19. According to an email provided by the City of Somerville, ISD inspectors visited the Gilman Square business because of the expired food license - a license that Sarai said had been renewed before Nov. 19 by Gerly's owner Gerly Adrien. A city spokesperson confirmed Gerly had submitted a renewal application and paid a renewal fee on Nov. 12, but said ISD could no longer "finalize" the renewal after finding the business"
A Somerville pop-up called Kula Jay's Ube Kafe opened Nov. 15 inside Gerly's Ice Cream while that shop was seasonally closed, offering ube lattes and sweet Filipino treats and drawing long lines. The owners described the change as a menu update rather than a change in ownership. City officials said Kula Jay's was not allowed to move into Gerly's space and cited an expired health or food license. ISD inspectors closed the business on Nov. 19; the city confirmed a renewal application and fee had been submitted on Nov. 12 but said ISD could not finalize the renewal after inspectors' findings.
Read at Boston.com
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