Jackson City Council members voiced concerns about a new restaurant/sports bar that wants to open in Banner Hall in Jackson but approved a use permit for the business on April 15.
The council approved granting Bradley Adair a conditional use permit for Suite 102B at 4465 I-55 North. The permit would allow for a general restaurant within a neighborhood shopping center within a C-2 (Limited) Commercial District and would have to be renewed annually.
The council held off on granting Brandi Carter a conditional use permit for a liquor store that would specialize in high-end, organic wines that she wants to open in Banner Hall.
The restaurant/sports bar named Rex’s Good Times would be located in some of the space formerly occupied by the Bridal Path on the first floor at the front of the building.
Doug Price, a commercial real estate broker and tenant in Banner Hall, said he has the task of leasing the space formerly occupied by the bridal shop.
“We had a hard time finding tenants,” he said, explaining that it is a challenge because the former bridal shop space is about 4,400 square feet, has zero windows other than at the front and lacks visibility and natural light.
The plan was to divide the space into three separate spaces with each having its own entrance, he said. The liquor store would occupy about 1,100 square feet at the front of the building: Rex’s Good Time, the middle space; and an event venue, the rest of the space.
Rex’s Good Time would occupy about 1,400 square feet, serve “pizza, salad, basic bar food” and be open Tuesday through Saturday until 10 p.m. and perhaps later for big games, Price said.
St. Richard Catholic Church leaders initially opposed Rex’s Good Time, but Price said he met with them and they have withdrawn their opposition.
Virgi Lindsay, who represents Ward 7 on the council and is a St. Richard Catholic Church congregant, said she has not received any phone calls about the restaurant.
“I have a feeling if our priest did not like it, then I would know,” she said. “I have not gotten a single phone call. I feel pretty good about it.”
Price said the owners of Banner Hall believe in the city of Jackson and Banner Hall, which is a place where many people gather and do business daily and have carefully considered the types of businesses they want to locate there.
Kenny Stokes, who represents Ward 3, brought up the topic of how the I-55 Noth corridor needs to be shored up because there are numerous vacant buildings and there are homeless people on the streets.
Banner Hall already has security on site for 12 hours a day and spends about six-figures on security, he said, and would likely increase it after the new business opens, Price said.
Stokes urged leaders to carefully consider the implications of their actions when it came to the restaurant.
“Would this hurt the area or help the area?” he said. “That’s what I’m concerned about.”
Stokes said what is needed is “something that’s going to lift up that area, not run it down.”
Vernon Hartley, who represents Ward 5 on the council, asked if there was a concentration of liquor stores in the area near Banner Hall, and the zoning administrator said there was not.
The council did not approve the use permit for the liquor store after Ashby Foote, who represents Ward 1, said he would like time to meet with Banner Hall business owners and leaders at St. Richard Catholic Church.
Price said the liquor store would not be one with a neon sign and it would sell high-end organic wine that one would savor with family and friends.
