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The Enternal Staple that is JJ's Market

For those of you who do not know me or who are new to the scene, I spent nearly every night of my life from early 1998 to late 2001 at JJ's Market on the 21st Ave Side of Broadway in Nashville. And I wasn't alone; there were 15 or 20 of us who basically stumbled into the place and became friends with in a few short weeks after my first visit. It was shortly like Cheers in there and after a year or so I didn't even call people anymore. I just went to JJ's and it was a given everyone I wanted to see would be there.

Most of us got to know the owners (Brothers, Won and Kyong) very well and still stay in contact with them today. I spent many, many nights there after-hours sitting around the big table listening to Won and Kyong tell staggering funny stories about all insane things that they've done while the entire table of people are laughing so hard they’re crying.

But like all good things it came to an end. The group (or “The JJ’s Crowd” as it was quickly dubbed) became more focused on our selves than we were on God or each other and as quickly as it started… It ended.

Sure I'm still good friends with number of the people but it's different now, most of us are married, a few have kids, we're busy with work and we've all grown up some. Won and Kyong sold the place to another Korean named Sam. (Who's a great guy; they couldn't have left it in better hands) It's now been years since I've spent any kind of invested time at JJ's.

With all that said, I needed to get out of the office for the last couple weeks so my co-worker and I could get focused and write a large Risk Analysis for a client of ours. We've ended up at JJ's everyday expect two over the last couple weeks. I hadn’t thought much about going to JJ’s until we were driving over for the first time. I expected to walk in and it would feel unfamiliar or not as comfortable as it did when I all but slept there. To no surprise it did feel a little unfamiliar at first however after the second day things started to click again and after the third day it was like I had come home from vacation, only while I was gone some put up a no smoking sign...

I must say for all the years that have past, the change of ownership, and the minor (but needed) upgrades they've done to the place it's still the same JJ's Market that I spent many good years at.

Thanks Sam and Geoff for keeping the place the same as I remember it, it's good to come home again! Oh and a big thumbs up for the Yazoo on tap!

posted by Moo_Cow @ 6/23/2005 10:49:00 PM