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George Street Grocery's Interests
Heroes
Welcome to George Street Grocery. The building that houses this bar and restaurant was built in 1910 by S. J. Taylor. George Street Grocery opened in 1911, a time when neighborhood grocers made deliveries to their customers.
Early owners included M.J. Eagan, Maude Herring, and Neil and Pat McNelis, two brothers who are rumored to have fought in the front doorway in 1920, ending in the shooting death of one of the brothers. The Con Maloney family purchased the building in 1921 from the incarcerated McNelis brother at Parchman Penitentiary, and owned the grocery from 1921 until 1928.
The building was then bought by J. R. Buford, who leased the business to the Nickle Grocery and the A-! Food Store, whose paint still shows on the exterior brick. In 1973 James Watts bought the old store and spent seven months renovating the building before opening a bar and restaurant named after the old grocery. Joseph A. Mitchell took over the business in 1977, and two years later opened the upstairs for live music.
Mitchell was among the first to bring such blues legends as B.B. King, Sam Myers, John Lee Hooker, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Mose Allison, and Greg "Fingers" Taylor to Jackson.
In October of 1992, the building was reopened after an extensive renovation process and still remains the prominent fixture throughout the Jackson area for quality food and nightlife.
George Street, located in the shadows of the Walter Sillers office building and the Mississippi State Supreme Court, has a treasured past. The upper floor of the building has been used for different purposes through the years, at times as a dance studio, and as the Jackson headquarters Alcoholics Anonymous and the Salvation Army, and even as living quarters (rumored to be serving as a brothel).
Through it all, George Street has been a favorite haunt for state politicians and the media. Former Governor Ray Mabus and the WLBT news director Bert Case have called it "an institution." Former House Speaker Buddie Newman once said, " It's as asset the the Legislature... a very wholesome atmosphere, unique and different, a good place to fellowship and eat groceries."
We hope those are the feelings that our guest will leave with even now. We strive to provide good times coupled with great spirits, tasty food, and the best live music in town. Enjoy your experience at George Street Grocery.
I came by last week for a reuben sandwich and you were closed. What's going on? I'm pregnant and hungry and work w/i walking distance. You can't do this to me!
