How Cianna Bommarito Found Her ‘Vibe Tribe’ in San Marco
Originally from a small town outside of Detroit, Michigan, Cianna Bommarito arrived in Jacksonville in 2018 under difficult circumstances. Her mother had been diagnosed with cancer, and Bommarito came south to help care for her and her younger sisters. What began as a move out of necessity quickly evolved into a new chapter of her life rooted in healing, entrepreneurship and community as she fell in love with San Marco.
Before relocating, Bommarito had worked in Michigan’s cannabis industry, where she developed a passion for holistic health and wellness working at a dispensary.
“The help of cannabis from our other store, and just my knowledge from working in the dispensary business [in Michigan], helped my mother and saved her life. She’s in remission today,” said Bommarito.
That experience inspired Bommarito to pivot from Michigan’s recreational marijuana industry to a more wellness-focused path. In 2019, she and her father opened a CBD cafe in Jacksonville –Kava and Company – just before the pandemic hit. Her goal was to create a space where people could find relief from ailments like PTSD, anxiety, Parkinson’s and chronic pain.
“I gave them a space where they could hang out and express themselves and kind of be their own person,” she said.
After living in Mandarin and on the Westside, Bommarito found her true home in San Marco about four years ago. Its charm, walkability, and sense of community reminded her of the tight-knit small town she grew up in. She still vividly remembers the weekend she fell in love with the neighborhood.
“I think Grape and Grain is the one that got me first,” Bommarito said. “This was at the time when we had the lights in the square. It was all lit up, beautiful every single night. I just remember always wanting to bring my bicycle and ride around and stop at Grape and Grain, BB’s [and] the cute little card store, The Ward Room. It was a good Saturday for me.”
Bommarito now owns a home in the neighborhood and cherishes the everyday connections she shares with her neighbors. She’s a member of the San Marco Merchant Association and the San Marco Preservation Society and says making plenty of friends has come easily.
“I run into my neighbors everywhere, and they run into me at my store. We run into each other walking dogs. You just end up doing things together. I think this is where I need to be,” Bommarito said.
Outside of work, Bommarito immerses herself in the outdoors. She shares her adventures with her five-year-old pointer, Goose, exploring local trails like Durbin Creek Preserve and paddleboarding on the St. Johns River.
“In Michigan, the weather is only good from June to August. I take advantage of every single beautiful day that is here,” she explained. “I watch the Friendship Fountain and the sunset there probably twice a week.”
She’s also found joy in the neighborhood’s rich history and architecture.
“I get kind of giddy when I talk about San Marco to other people,” Bommarito said. “It’s based on Venice and the architecture… this used to be this, and that used to be that. This is the oldest Peterbrooke. It just has so much character.”
Though Jacksonville is a sprawling city, Bommarito finds that it feels surprisingly intimate.
“They say it’s so big, but it’s actually so small,” Bommarito said. “There’s a store for everything, a club for everything, an event every weekend. There’s always something free, music-wise, going on somewhere.”
Whether she’s playing pickleball with friends, launching her kayak or simply walking her dog, Bommarito has found her rhythm in San Marco.
“I really did find my tribe, my vibe tribe, a sense of community here,” Bommarito said.
