Longtime owner of Jacksonville Inn reflects on running the business the last 4 decades

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. — As ownership of the historic Jacksonville Inn shifts, longtime owner Jerry Evans spoke exclusively with me tonight about its legacy.

On April 15th, 1976, Evans and his wife, Linda, purchased the Jacksonville Inn on the town’s quiet California Street.

Evans spent the next 45 years dedicating his life to keeping the renowned restaurant up and running. Now, he’s decided to move on to other pursuits.

“I’m almost 85 years old, I really wanted to work until the day I die – I have no desire to retire. A lot of people retire, sit on the couch, drink beer and get fat and frankly, I still run marathons and would like to run a marathon in Africa next,” he said.

Evans says he didn’t list the inn for sale – the new buyers came in and told him they were interested. He considered it not only so he can run another marathon, but because there are health concerns within his family that need his attention.

“I have to say it’s the saddest day of my life, I don’t want to do it. In the last 6 years, I’ve had 3 days off,” he said.

Over the past 4 decades, the restaurant hasn’t changed much. Evans says most of the entrées are the same as the ones listed the day it opened for business.

“Prime rib, I think, was $7 for a portion. We serve steaks and we’ve been serving it ever since we’ve been here.”

As the Rogue Valley has grown around the Jacksonville Inn, it was always an important stop for state and national politicians. “Virtually every U.S. Senator, every Governor has been here, and we’ve had some really spectacular influential people who’ve been here.”

Former President George W. Bush, Senator John Kerry, actress Kirstie Alley, and journalist Dan Rather are just a few of the famous familiar faces who have stopped in to eat over the years.

For Evans, though, the most important part about owning the Jacksonville Inn is the close-knit relationships he’s created with his staff.

“I just hired some really great people, our head chef has been with us for over 35 years. We’ve had several servers with us over 20 years and I’ve had great relationships with the people who’ve worked here,” he said.

He says the southern Oregon community and its support have made the last 45 years at the inn a breeze.

“We’re no longer serving brunch, the most popular in southern Oregon, we’re not serving breakfast and we’re not serving lunch – but in spite of that, we’re setting sales record right now with dinner from 4 – 9 p.m.”

Evans says he isn’t leaving just yet.

He plans to still be around the next few months in order to help the future owners with training and consultation.

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