When Adam Hayes and Daniel Dillon bought 303 Farish St., the building was in terrible shape: The ceiling was falling, it had neither a kitchen nor plumbing, and to top it off, a homeless person was living there. The two immediately started cleaning up the place, with free help from carpenters, plumbers and construction workers due to the eagerness they shared for getting the job done. Dillon and Hayes got down and dirty when constructing the space, and in the end it all paid off. Nestled in the otherwise quiet historical Farish Street District, the renovated vibrant blue building will open as F. Jones Corner on July 11, the first of several new entertainment venues to open on the street this year.
Dillon and Hayes met 10 years ago while studying culinary arts at Hinds Community College. They instantly clicked and together dreamed of opening a restaurant. "We're like an old married couple," Dillon says.
Last September, Dillon's father, Sherman Lee Dillon, noticed that a place on Farish Street was for lease. Daniel Dillon put in his two-weeks notice at the healthcare facility where he worked, and Hayes left his kitchen manager job at the U.S. Army base in Nannheim, Germany. In March 2009, the two finally came together again to make their dreams a reality.
Everything in F. Jones Corner tells a story. In 1923, the building was a gas station called Frank Jones Corner, named after a Farish Street businessman. The owners thought that naming the restaurant in honor of the gas station would keep a piece of history alive. If you look hard enough, you can find an actual gas pump hole in the building.
Open for lunch and dinner, the cuisine at F. Jones Corner includes burgers, crab cakes, chicken and salads. Pictures of Mississippi history, including many famous Mississippi artists such as B.B. King and Jesse Robinson, are found on the bar counter.
A sign inside F. Jones Corner reads: "No Black. No White. Just the Blues." The quote represents the desire to bring people of different backgrounds together for the sake of a common art. "Black folk and white folk, poor and rich can come and have a good time," Dillon says.
F. Jones Corner celebrates its grand opening July 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with events benefiting the Boys and Girls club in the morning. Activities include face-painting, fun obstacle courses, magicians, clowns, free meals for kids, and music workshops with bluesman Jesse Robinson. F. Jones Corner will be open for lunch July 13. For more info, call 601-983-1148.
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