NICV Spotlight: Juybe’s Breakfast and Lunch
September 22, 2026
Juybe’s Breakfast and Lunch is the result of 30 years of hard work and a tight-knit community.
Having worked as a cook for years, Gereon Castro Pozos cultivated close and familiar relationships with many of his coworkers, including Jaime and Yardis Martinez and Jonathan Castro. Gereon realized the joy they shared working together could be taken to the next level. This led Gereon to open Juybe’s Breakfast and Lunch restaurant with his friends, with each individual bringing their own skills to this endeavor.
In late 2025, after meticulous planning, Juybe’s Breakfast and Lunch opened. Located in Joliet and named after several of the team’s family members, Juybe’s serves American style breakfast and lunch food. Everything at Juybe’s is homemade with fresh ingredients to provide customers with a dining experience that feels like home.
“We want everything to be fresh. We want people to feel the unique taste of what we do, of what we cook,” shared Jaime.
Gereon and his partners lead a team of seven, five of which are members of their own families. With close bonds at the root of their operations, the warmth of a family meal greets customers with every visit.
While passion for food and serving the community fueled the business, success required more than culinary experience. When Gereon needed capital to make improvements to the kitchen in the restaurant, Gereon was connected to Allies for Community Business (A4CB).
In late 2025, Gereon received funding from A4CB which allowed him to purchase the kitchen equipment necessary to continue operating the restaurant. Gereon’s loan was made possible thanks to the Northern Illinois Community Ventures loan program that offers capital through A4CB to entrepreneurs like Gereon in Joliet, Rockford and South Suburban Cook County to start, sustain or expand their businesses.
After nearly a year in business, Gereon hopes to continue growing Juybe’s with his partners and attract new customers with their quality food and warm family atmosphere.