When the J train ends its trek from Lower Manhattan over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn and then Queens, it wraps up, as does the Z and E trains, at Jamaica Center.

Located at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue, it’s a busy hub where riders can continue their journeys by bus to a multitude of destinations. 


What You Need To Know

  • Jamaica Center is the last stop in Queens for the J, Z and E Lines

  • Highlights include the King Manor Museum, York College and Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

  • There is also a major bus hub and shopping district on Jamaica Avenue

  • The Jamaica Center Market Food Court features cuisine from around the world

In walking distance are historic and cultural destinations like the King Manor Museum and Park. It’s the one-time home of United States Constitution signer and fierce opponent of slavery Rufus King. There's also the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning and the City University's York College.

It's a busy shopping district on Jamaica Avenue, where if you get hungry, there's the Jamaica Market Food Court, with vendors serving up cuisine from around the globe. 

Among the vendors is Miranda's Pupuseria where Maria Miranda and family, deliver food from their native El Salvador. The most popular are Pupusas, thick corn cakes filled with a variety of delicious items. 

"We make a tortilla with cheese, cheese and beans, cheese and pork,” said Maria Miranda. 

On 160th Street is the One Two Knockout Barber Shop. Born and raised in Jamaica, owner Tony Latimore has been cutting hair for thirty years. He says while his neighborhood faced years of neglect, things are on the upswing.

“They are actually trying to uplift. And it's becoming more diverse,” said Latimore, who added that Jamaica is changing for the better.

The hope is that continues as Jamaica, like so many other neighborhoods, copes with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Business is a little slow,” said fellow barber Sammy. “We hope and pray that next year will be a better year in terms of getting back to where we used to be.”