QuoteThe Champaign, Ill.-based sub sandwich chain plans to open a restaurant at 630 Park St., in the former AJ’s on Park Street barbecue joint that closed last fall.
Full article: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/423471/gary-mills/2012-02-20/jimmy-johns-plans-riverside-restaurant
It'll be interesting to see if a professionally run organization can make that spot work. Gary Mills's article totally missed the existence of that location being Hot Rod's prior to Sharx, and am I wrong or was there one more short-lived concept in the spot at some point over the last five years or so?
It was Skip's before AJ's came in. They served decent comfort food. Skip made some killer mac and cheese.
Jimmy Johns big deal is their delivery. That spot leaves them well positioned to deliver to LPS, BCBFL and FIS as well as quickly reaching houses in the hood. I hope they can make it work.
I give Jimmy Johns credit for taking the plunge.
For those of us in the neighborhood behind,we have the perfect back street entrance around Annie.
This might be a fun bike ride/ walk for friends to do together..hit the Duck pond,check on Annie and saunter down for a sub.
Maybe take them back to the Park?
Hope JJ's helps breathe some life into Park St Brooklyn. :-\
Doesn't AJ's seem a little too big for a traditional Jimmy Johns? I mean it's kinda a big space, and most of the JJ's I've seen are run out of tiny, tiny buildings/units. Very cool they're moving there, though.
Quote from: Ernest Street on February 21, 2012, 09:13:27 AM
Hope JJ's helps breathe some life into Park St Brooklyn. :-\
Yes, it's nice to see some investment on that side of the bridge.
Quote from: ben says on February 21, 2012, 09:21:37 AM
Doesn't AJ's seem a little too big for a traditional Jimmy Johns? I mean it's kinda a big space, and most of the JJ's I've seen are run out of tiny, tiny buildings/units. Very cool they're moving there, though.
Why would being too big be a problem? They will be able to add more seating than the other locations in San Marco and Tap Park. I look at that is an advantage as it can be hard to get a seat at those locations during the lunch rush. One of the locations in Tally is about the same size as the AJs space.
Didnt that used to be a popeyes? Im not old enough to remember, but it sure looks like one.
Quote from: duvaldude08 on February 21, 2012, 10:07:16 AM
Didnt that used to be a popeyes? Im not old enough to remember, but it sure looks like one.
Funny how all Popeyes look the same..
yep, the lava stone is a dead give away.
Quote from: fsujax on February 21, 2012, 10:18:57 AM
yep, the lava stone is a dead give away.
I wonder why that one close. Its the only one in that area unless you feel like driving to 8th and main.
it, the McDonalds on the corner of Park and Rosselle and the Krystal on Riverside Ave closed about the same time, think they were victims of FDOT's Fuller Warren Bridge project.
There is a popeyes in riverside on mcduff ave.
Quote from: fsujax on February 21, 2012, 10:31:31 AM
it, the McDonalds on the corner of Park and Rosselle and the Krystal on Riverside Ave closed about the same time, think they were victims of FDOT's Fuller Warren Bridge project.
Yeah I have a friend thats 7 years older than me and he said theres was a Krystals over there too.
There used to be a cool little neighborhood bar next door where 616 is now called B&B Liquors. They had a package store out front and lounge in the back. In the eighties it drew a lot of shift workers from the area like yours truly.
Quote from: ben says on February 21, 2012, 09:21:37 AM
Doesn't AJ's seem a little too big for a traditional Jimmy Johns? I mean it's kinda a big space, and most of the JJ's I've seen are run out of tiny, tiny buildings/units. Very cool they're moving there, though.
I went to one in downtown Orlando that is about the same size. Huge lunch crowd location.
It looks like they started work last week on the Jimmy Johns. I spoke to one of the guys that was at the site and it sounds like they are doing a major renovation to the building/site and landscaping. It's going to look like a brand new building when they are done. Great for JJ's! Great for me!
Quote from: tscottgt on February 28, 2012, 11:27:39 AM
It looks like they started work last week on the Jimmy Johns. I spoke to one of the guys that was at the site and it sounds like they are doing a major renovation to the building/site and landscaping. It's going to look like a brand new building when they are done. Great for JJ's! Great for me!
Any chance they can "accidentally" set fire to Annie Lytle?
Quote from: Kaiser Soze on February 28, 2012, 01:49:20 PM
Any chance they can "accidentally" set fire to Annie Lytle?
Maybe if JJs were a Dominos and Annie Lytle a competing Dominos, then, yes.
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on February 28, 2012, 01:51:23 PM
Quote from: Kaiser Soze on February 28, 2012, 01:49:20 PM
Any chance they can "accidentally" set fire to Annie Lytle?
Maybe if JJs were a Dominos and Annie Lytle a competing Dominos, then, yes.
I was thinking that it would be advantageous to rid the neighborhood of blight.
When are they taking down the AJ's signs? Odd they've left them up through the whole renovation. You'd never know JJ was going there.
They are probably leaving them up until last so people dont think they are open yet.
Quote from: The Compound on May 01, 2012, 12:02:33 PM
They are probably leaving them up until last so people dont think they are open yet.
You'd think they'd put the JJ up as soon as possible...free preliminary advertising. Get people hungry for JJ!
Or maybe their sign people are slacking. Maybe I should make a visit over there. ;D
Quote from: Brian Siebenschuh on February 21, 2012, 02:57:02 AM
It'll be interesting to see if a professionally run organization can make that spot work. Gary Mills's article totally missed the existence of that location being Hot Rod's prior to Sharx, and am I wrong or was there one more short-lived concept in the spot at some point over the last five years or so?
I don't know about all the other places that have been in that location, but in the 90's Toby's Barbecue was there. They had a pretty decent run, I am sure it was over 5 years.
Quote from: duvaldude08 on February 21, 2012, 11:05:22 AM
Quote from: fsujax on February 21, 2012, 10:31:31 AM
it, the McDonalds on the corner of Park and Rosselle and the Krystal on Riverside Ave closed about the same time, think they were victims of FDOT's Fuller Warren Bridge project.
Yeah I have a friend thats 7 years older than me and he said theres was a Krystals over there too.
I remember the Krystal that was near the old FHP building at the foot of the old Fuller Warren Bridge. I used to infrequently drop in for a quick breakfast on my way to church on Lomax Street. Those were the days when I used to jet up U.S. 17 from Orange Park and arrive in the Riverside area in under 25 minutes. I was young, dumb and full of immortality in those days. I am surprised that I never got a speeding ticket for my efforts to get to the church on time!
Quote from: duvaldude08 on February 21, 2012, 10:07:16 AM
Didnt that used to be a popeyes? Im not old enough to remember, but it sure looks like one.
Yes, that used to be a Popeye's back in the day. I remember when there was a McDonald's and a Popeye's on Park Street. I agree with previous posters that the Fuller Warren Bridge construction helped lead to the closing of both. The demolition of the old Park Street overpass was a major factor, in my opinion, in the demise of those and other businesses.
I am shocked that none of these resturants attempted to reopen. Since their closing there are even more workers and residents in that area that would patronize them on a regular basis. I work at Prudential and I hate that the closest fast food resturant is Wendys in five points. Otherwise you have to drive all the way down to 9 and main or stomach burger king downtown.
Quote from: ben says on May 01, 2012, 11:59:21 AM
When are they taking down the AJ's signs? Odd they've left them up through the whole renovation. You'd never know JJ was going there.
For those concerned about the AJ's sign still being up, it has been taken down now. Rest easy.
The building looks a lot different after the renovations.
Thanks for the update...I was very concerned about the sign
Quote from: cline on May 08, 2012, 11:40:53 AM
Quote from: ben says on May 01, 2012, 11:59:21 AM
When are they taking down the AJ's signs? Odd they've left them up through the whole renovation. You'd never know JJ was going there.
For those concerned about the AJ's sign still being up, it has been taken down now. Rest easy.
The building looks a lot different after the renovations.
Looks like a totally different building.
When I drove by Sunday it looked like it was open.