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Back at Jacksons

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All images courtesy of Piatt Companies

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Courtesy of Piatt Companies

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Courtesy of Piatt Companies

Thirteen months later, Marcus Piatt’s recollection of the evening of Aug. 18, 2021, is as fresh as the cuisine upon which Jacksons Restaurant & Bar built a reputation.

“We had been doing pretty well overall and had a good night going,” said Piatt Hotel Group’s president, who develops and manages hotels and restaurants, including Jacksons. “Then something in the hood ventilation system malfunctioned. We don’t really know what happened, but we started getting a small amount of smoke, then it really started smoking. We had to evacuate everyone (in the restaurant and hotel).”

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but water, water everywhere – and other damages – were the end results, forcing the restaurant to operate on a limited basis. But not for a limited time.

For Jacksons, adjacent to Hilton Garden Inn in Southpointe, it was an unexpected disruption following pandemic-related closures Gov. Tom Wolf had previously mandated for Pennsylvania restaurants.

“We had water damage and smoke damage and smell damage,” Piatt said. “Flooring was messed up, and we had everything roped off for months. We moved into the lobby of the hotel and did Jacksons’ menu there, called the Garden Grill. Breakfasts were served there.”

Disrupted by a couple of delays, renovations took many months, resulting in lost revenue from the usually bountiful Christmas and New Year’s crowds. But work continued, and on Aug. 15, three days shy of a year after the fire, Jacksons was back in business full time, at full capacity. It was taking reservations at OpenTable for lunch and dinner – and filling a dining void for many.

The restaurant is known for its wide range of seasonal menu items and for its roominess. It can accommodate 150 patrons inside a remodeled space that includes some of the familiar features and some that are all new.

“It’s a pretty dramatic change from prior designs,” Piatt said. “The concept is the same, and the entry hasn’t changed. There’s a curved bar. The seating level same is the same, too. The decor has lighter wood tones. It’s pretty sophisticated.

“The bar is more functional for bartenders, and the design is more approachable. It’s a little darker than before, more natural. Booths are on one side.”

Although operations were curtailed for an extended period, Piatt said, “every employee was paid during that time. And we kept most of our employees. We treat them like they’re a family business. Some of them have longevity” at Jacksons, which launched in Southpointe in 2001.

Guests are important, too, accounting for about 20% of Jacksons’ business, Piatt said.

As with most businesses in the hospitality industry, Jacksons has had its challenges navigating the pandemic. “It’s been a real bummer dealing with COVID,” Piatt said. The outbreak arrived in Southwestern Pennsylvania in March 2020, months after the restaurant realized unprecedented success.

“We had our best year in 2019,” Piatt said. “Jackson’s had $800,000 more revenue that year than any year before. We wanted to renovate there, and we started to do some digital marketing.”

Jacksons, which also offers curbside service, is open six days a week. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. And those hours may expand. “We’re thinking about opening on Sundays,” possibly with brunch hours,” Piatt said.

He is thrilled that Jacksons is back and upbeat about the future. “Right now, we’re in a better place because we offer three important things – service, atmosphere and food.”

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