'Althea’s Almost Famous' Food Trailer To Park At Village Center

COLUMBIA, MD — The latest addition to the Long Reach Village Center will bring smiles to hungry people's faces. Althea’s Almost Famous, the popular Jamaican food trailer, will be parked at the Village Center starting Wednesday, May 26, and will be open this week through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Weekly locations and schedules will be posted on Facebook.

The owner of Althea's Almost Famous, Althea Hanson, happens to be a longtime Columbia resident who began bottling and selling her homemade Jamaican sauces in 2015 before expanding to catering and being at Howard County farmer’s markets with her wares.

“Althea’s passion and entrepreneurial spirit is inspiring, and just the type of small, local business that we’re happy to see expand to Long Reach Village Center,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “The progress at Long Reach continues to attract businesses, services, and organizations that understand the power of community and having deep roots and connections to a neighborhood. We’re looking forward to residents discovering her Jamaican cuisine and welcoming her to the Village Center.”

Hanson, who grew up in Jamaica, found her passion for cooking from her grandmother. She started her business in 2015 while raising funds to adopt her goddaughter from Jamaica. Hanson began by bottling and selling her homemade sauces, which are now professionally bottled in Baltimore and sold at local retailers like LA Mart in Columbia. She later expanded to catering events, parties and weddings, and has been a recent business present at Howard County farmer’s markets. The latest expansion, a mobile food trailer, has finally allowed Hanson to invest in her business full-time, recently stepping away from her previous job in real estate.

“I’m excited to venture out in the community, serve some great food and give back,” Hanson said.