Warren Bussey was born in the small town of Bobo, Texas, on November 21, 1913. He was one of eight boys and four girls raised in a tightly-knit family within a caring community. Growing up, Bussey quickly learned the value of hard work, often pitching in to support his family from an early age on his parents’ farms. These early lessons instilled in him a strong work ethic, shaping him into the ambitious business owner he would later become.
During World War II, Bussey served his country and was stationed in Victorville, California, in 1944. He was honorably discharged in 1946. In 1951, he crossed paths with the love of his life, Mamie Eva (“Jimmie”) Jackson, with whom he shared a loving marriage for over thirty years until her passing in 1982.
Entrepreneurial Ventures
In 1948, Warren Bussey embarked on his entrepreneurial journey, establishing his janitorial service under the banner of Bussey Maintenance in Fullerton, California. Bussey would work towards expanding his business to support his community and provide economic advancement and job opportunities, especially for those facing employment challenges such as veterans, single mothers, and people of color. His business would eventually grow to include 6 trucks and 40 employees, expanding its reach from Orange County to Los Angeles.
In 1955, Bussey and his wife diversified their business ventures by opening Jimmy’s Café, a soul food restaurant and the first black business in Santa Ana on Fourth Street. According to OC Weekly, “Bussey coined the phrase ‘hard work and soul food’ while branching out from those two businesses to own a shoeshine stand and upholstery shop.”
