“Hot tamales make you jolly.” – Marvin Wilson
Somehow Marvin Wilson and his tamales stayed underneath the radar of media, and there is very little available to clebrate this man. These shots were taken in August, 2014, when the business was mostly run by his family. Mr. Wilson was doing ok, but was declining, and he would pass in 2015. He was more than hanging in there, when i shot him, but he was homebound now, had lost weight, but not his winning attitude, and he could still do a Wislon’s Tamale rap. He had many.
Today the family business is still going with another location and food trucks.
Marvin Wilson, starting with nothing, and selling tamales on the street from his home-made bicycle that becane his business complete with different locations, food trucks, and, of course a grwong family that would take up his legacy, and memory.
On this day, i drove to Mr. Wilson’s home, picked him up and took him to his shopr. He still had his chef’s hat, but we forgot it. I was hobbled on crutches after being injured in a stairway collapse blocks from the shop, and i was concentrating on my driving and shooting. I got sick of recuperation after surgery and felt i had to get some shots, and it was worth the effort.
It’s pretty amazing how a shop could help support and bring in a large extended family over a man’s lifetime, and also keep him alive by virtue of still doing tamales.
Mr. Wilson, still outgoing, with his sense of humor and happiness that comes with beong your own boss and doing your thing, and leaving a family secure and healthy with that legacy.
Mr. Wilson with his original mobiie shop on wheels.
Marvin Wilson, in his prime, bringing style and humor, and a unique business to East Cleveland, over his life. The family that he and his wife began continues to grow.
