A new temporary feature will be "Matchbook Monday." A friend was going to throw out a bag of restaurant matchbooks her husband had collected for decades but gave them to me when I asked that she do so. The matchbooks are forgotten mementos of Jackson's history so JJ will post a few each Monday. Readers can email me at kingfish1935@gmail.com if they would like to send photos of their matchbooks or give them to JJ. Enjoy.
The first one is Johnny's Restaurant. It was apparently a fine dining restaurant on Highway 80 in Jackson.
JJ discovered this old Clarion-Ledger ad for the grand opening of the restaurant. Founder Johnny Hontzas immigrated to America from Greece in 1922 and made Jackson his home in 1945. He died in 1974.
The next one up is an old Jackson landmark that will surely be remember by our um, legacy readers.
The restaurant closed in 1985 after serving Jackson for 41 years.
Last but not least is a bank. Yes, banks used to pass out matchbooks. A shame they no longer do so because Mike Moore would have figured out a way to tie them to tobacco. This one is First Federal Savings & Loan.
16 comments:
Thanks for posting these. I grew up in Jackson, as did my parents, and I remember LeFluer's but not Johnny's. Very interesting to see how the city has changed/moved.
Oh, yes. Back in the 70s and early 80s, LeFleurs and Dennery's were the two most established fine dining restaurants in town.
What would also be an interesting connection would be to see of these place, how many people would still frequent them of they were in their original locations, and if not, why?
Legacy reader here. If younger folk had a time machine and popped up in Jackson in 1970, one of the first things they would find out is that Jackson had no decent restaurants other than the Mayflower and Crechale's There were restaurants that marketed themselves as "fine dining establishments," like LeFleur's, Primos, Dennery's and the Rotisserie, but they were only average in the quality of the food. There's been a huge change for the better since then. Special honors to the gumbo at the Olde Tyme, and to the donut holes at Primos. And maybe to the steak basket at the Dutch Bar, which I usually ate after 3 or 4 beers so I may be exaggerating its ranking.
Very cool
I remember when Dennery's would not seat me in the early 70's because my hair was too long.
What would also be an interesting connection would be to see of these place, how many people would still frequent them of they were in their original locations, and if not, why?
Johnny's? Doubtful simply because of the location. The neighborhood is not one many folks would visit after dark and most people who would patronize such a place live far away.
LeFleur's? Probably. Char and Bravo are not far down the road and are doing fine. I believe it closed because of the sale of the land to build LeFleur's Gallery, but it may have shut down before then. Anyone remember?
First Federal (aka Unifirst)? Location is not the driver for most people these days when it comes to a financial institution, and there are branches of Trustmark in most of those places except Jackson Square, I think. So if it were still a solvent institution (ha ha), then probably.
I'm almost certain that the Johnny's Restaurant later became Fisherman's Wharf, owned by another Greek Jerry Psanos. As for the building, I'm sure it's abandoned.
For Johnny's, was seafood their specialty, or were steaks and chicken their specialty?
1:29, you are correct about Fisherman's Wharf. I checked the address in an old phone book I have. Used to go there and Lefleur's all the time when my grandparents would come to town in the late 70s and early 80s. Johnny's grandson, Tim, opened up a restaurant over in the Birmingham area with the same name. He even tells the backstory on the website: http://www.johnnyshomewood.com/our-story.html
KF chose to not include my earlier post on this topic, which is certainly his right. Maybe TMI/TMQ. Whatever. In the meantime, I did fine that the motel associated with LeFleur's was The Jacksonsian, which is what I was thinking but couldn't verify at the time.
The Jacksonian
There is also a link there with more info on LeFleurs.
What's a matchbook?
Who was the Greek guy that owned Johnny O's on county line Rd 30 years ago? Food was great. He was a jerk!!!!
I remember hearing that Dennery's wouldn't serve Bob Barker once when he was in town because one of his entourage's hair was too long.
So, 1:08, how's old Bob doing?
If I could just pull onto the gravel lot of Hickory House on W. Capitol Street one more time, flash my headlights and have one of the ladies come out and take my order for a steak finger basket and a cold one. It was across from Cedar Lawn Cemetery, just east of the zoo.
Ah Memories....
Why we can't have nice things anymore...part 465:
Safety matches and fun. Does anyone else remember having match fights? As long as they didn't land in the couch or trash or someone's hair can you were ok!
The kid with the voice of caution suggesting to have the match fight outside in the back yard instead of a dark basement? He was accused of being a RALPH NADER sympathizer and wearing his seatbelt at all times!
(If you had a little tinfoil- from the cigarette pack!- and a toothpick- you had a mini bottle rocket!)
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