Monday, June 11, 2018

Matchbook Monday

It's time for Matchbook Monday.  Some real gems of Jackson's past are posted below.  Feel free to add your stories or any information about them in the comments section as you enjoy these blasts from the past. Readers can email copies of any old matchbooks to kingfish1935@gmail.com.



First up is a watering hole remember fondly by a few:




Of course, what would the Jackson bar scene have been without Poets in the Quarter?



The Grillis family operated several restaurants over the years on Lamar Street.  One incarnation was Grillis Grill.





This matchbook is off the restaurant roster but Odom's helped many people see over the years.  Although there were several locations, most people remember the main store at the corner of Fortification and North State Streets.  McDonald's now sits where Odom's once flourished.  The Primo's restaurant burned down.  Odom's was torn down along with the restaurant.  Mr. Odom was a decorated combat vet in WWII who had only partial use of his arm due to his combat injuries.  




It opened in 1959.


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonder if Gary Neville survived?

Anonymous said...

The Recovery Room...my home away from home in the early to mid-seventies! Tommy and Teresa Alderman were the best. How I miss that place!

Anonymous said...

Does anywone remember a guy at the Recovery Room with a giant parrot? I remember seeing him outside on a payphone many times when passing by in the afternoons, probably in the mid to late 80s.

Anonymous said...

As the story goes, TGIF became the go to place for young hipsters and the serious drinkers needed a watering hole and they came up with Piss On Everything Tomorrow is Saturday. Several of the adjoining 2nd story “ offices” is where trust took place before heading home to their eastover families.

Anonymous said...

I think I remember The Recovery Room offering free beer in exchange for AA sobriety chips. The longer the sobriety, the more free beer.

Anonymous said...

@10:29. Wonderful thing to have trust before heading home!

Anonymous said...

@10:29 The story I heard, like so many legends had a slightly different twist.

As I heard it, The owner of Poets, Bubba Spencer had originally signed up to open the TGI Fridays in Jackson, as a franchisee. Supposedly Fridays corporate looked at the potential and decided to shove him aside and open a corporate owned store. That's supposedly when he uttered those famous words that became the acronym POETS

Anonymous said...

Kingfish, surely you didn't miss the "Billy Cannon Day" announcement at the Neshoba County Fair on that Clarion Ledger page... This was prior to the Halloween run!

Louis LeFleur said...

Never set foot in The Recovery Room, but have very found memories of Poets from college days and after. Yet another Grillis family restaurant I never knew about! The cover says "Next to Post Office" so I wonder if, rather than Lamar Street where the others were, if this was on Capitol in the little two story building with the blue tile roof next to the old post office where Ridgway Realty offices are now? That would fit with the long, narrow look of the picture. Remember the old Odom's building well. They still run an excellent business in the hands of the founder's son.

Anonymous said...

I remember the giant parrot at the Recovery Room, too. Didn't they have green shag carpet on the walls? My older brother, now deceased, worked at UMMC and often went there after work. He was the reigning Foos ball champion there for quite awhile and got free beer. RIP, big brother. Thanks for the memories, KF.

Anonymous said...

Poets had some great food, too. My favorite was the scampi - nice big shrimp in a thick, garlicky white sauce and served in a small, piping hot cast iron skillet. Mighty fine! The Steak Marinade was good, too.

I think they tried to recreate these dishes at the Poets reunion last year, but don't know how that turned out.

Anonymous said...

After Mr. LeFleur's speculation about the location of the Grillis Grill, I asked a member of the Ridgway family about the history of that building. It was built in 1927 by members of that family and the Grillis Grill was, in fact, located there, followed later by an S&L. The address is 233 Capitol Street, right next to the old post office.

Anonymous said...

I used to hang out at the Recovery Room. .. you are right about the AA chip thing. I saw it happen on several occasions.

Anonymous said...

We went to the rec room in med school to play illegal video poker. There was a barfly named max that ranted incoherently. Miss that place.


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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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