Legally blind vendor inside Boston courthouse shares positive outlook on life

BOSTON — Inside one of the busiest courts in Boston, you’ll find an inspiring man who’s been running the convenience store there for nearly 20 years.

Vernon Jones is the owner of Vernon’s Lobby Shop inside the Brooke Courthouse on New Chardon Street, one of Boston’s Municipal courts.

The love Vernon has for his job is felt in each and every interaction with his customers.

“I do like talking with people and comforting them,” Vernon said. “I’m not a psychiatrist or anything like that.”

Whatever your reason for being at the courthouse, it doesn’t matter - Vernon will greet everyone with a smile.

You wouldn’t know it by his sunny disposition, but he’s had his share of challenges.

He was diagnosed with juvenile macular degeneration when he was 18, so Vernon is legally blind.

“Went to Mount Sinai and they said, ‘Well, guess what? I’ve got two things to tell you. One, you won’t be able to drive,’” Vernon laughed. “‘And two, you’re legally blind.’”

He doesn’t let that get him down; instead, Vernon said remembering his sister keeps him positive.

“Before she died, I remember she came to work with me just to have something to do, and I said, ‘Sis, you need to stay home,’ and she said, ‘I’ll tell you when I need to stay home.’”

Vernon said his sister died tragically from sickle cell anemia, a severe blood disorder.

“That’s how positive she was, and she wanted to just do,” Vernon said. “Once I found out about my vision, I really couldn’t feel down.”

Vernon is able to operate his business inside the courthouse through the Randolph-Sheppard Program, first created under federal law in 1936.

The program is administered by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.

“It was the federal government’s answer to creating a program that would create a business opportunity for people who are legally blind,” Commissioner John Oliveira explained.

Oliveira said Massachusetts later passed a Mini-Randolph-Sheppard-Act and expanded the program to include state and municipal buildings, not just federal.

Currently, there are 21 other successful locations run by legally blind vendors in the state.

“This is one of our busier stands, and Vernon has a great personality, great customer service skills, and he makes it go,” Oliveira said.

That’s what Vernon feels so lucky to be able to do every day - to get up and just go.

“To me, that’s the most important aspect of life, which people seem to take for granted. You woke up this morning,” Vernon said.

“Some people come in, I say, ‘Hey, good morning!’ ‘What’s so good about this morning?’ Wait, wait a minute, didn’t you wake up this morning? Didn’t you put your feet on the ground? Don’t you think that’s a great thing? We take it for granted.”

There are about 28,000 people who are legally blind in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind is looking for private business locations to continue giving opportunities to vendors like Vernon.

If you’re interested, email mcbinfo@mass.gov.

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