79.6 F
Cruz Bay
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesOn Island Profile: Jennifer Dale

On Island Profile: Jennifer Dale

Oct. 20, 2006 — Former Jersey girl Jennifer Dale brings energy, education and experience to her job as the Marketplace shopping center's general manager.
"Every day here is like the best day of summer in New Jersey," she says. Born in Indiana, Dale lived in North Carolina and New Jersey as her father moved around for AT&T-Bell Labs. She spent most of her youth in Berkeley Heights, N.J.
Five years after moving to St. John, she's a whirlwind of activity as she keeps tabs on day-to-day activities and organizes numerous events to bring people into the center. Currently she's in the midst of getting the third annual Flower and Garden Show lined up for Oct. 27 and 28. When she finishes that, she'll get the annual Home Show and Marine Show together.
Dale, 37, joined the Marketplace in June 2004 at a time when the recently opened shopping center needed to find a way to attract people to the upper two floors. Starfish, the island's largest supermarket, was a draw for the lowest level, but shoppers seemed reluctant to venture into the second and third levels.
"To a lot of people, Starfish was the Marketplace," she says.
Marketplace Days came first, low-key events with music and some entertainment that brought people into the shopping center. That grew until the center now holds three major events each year. Dale has also paid attention to the tenant mix, an aspect that helps bring more people into the shopping center.
In Dale's vision, the Marketplace can serve as a center for St. John — particularly since it has that rare St. John commodity: parking.
"It seems to have hit the mark with the community," she says.
Education gave Dale the background she needs for the Marketplace. She holds a bachelor's degree in advertising from Penn State University and a master's degree in business from Rider College in Lawrenceville, N.J.
After graduating from Penn State, Dale went to work for Phillips-Van Heusen, an apparel manufacturer. "I helped launch their factory-outlet strategy," she says. She spent eight years doing various jobs before leaving to join an online market-research company, Research Connection.
After three years, the company got bought out and Dale decided to move to St. John. A vacation visit a year earlier convinced her the island would make a nice home, and by 2001 she was ready to make her move.
"I sold everything I owned on eBbay," she says.
Initially Dale started her own market research company, Inside Heads, with clients she kept from the Research Connection job. In her early days on St. John, she tended bar at Shipwreck Landing restaurant, a job she enjoyed because she got to meet a lot of locals. She also worked at Surf Da Web, a computer and Internet store located at the Marketplace.
She dabbled in Epiphany Theater, the island's little-theater company, and several years ago devoted considerable energy to helping to organize the Animal Care Center of St. John's annual Wagapalooza.
"I love dogs," she says, adding that she has four of her own.
When she's not at work, she's busy building her house and kayaking with a friend. Dale loves her life on St. John, particularly the eclectic group of residents that calls the island home.
"Each one has so much to offer, she says. I'm enjoying getting to know them immensely.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.