EP #216: Jenniffer Everhart with JT's Sports Bar and Grill
Feb 29, 2024
Jeremy Wolf
A journey of transformation unfolds as we share the microphone with Jenniffer Everhart, the heart and soul behind JT's Sports Bar and Grill. Picture this: a bartender with the charisma of a natural leader, stepping out from behind the bar to reimagine a faltering location into a community cornerstone that's been thriving for nearly 16 years. Jenniffer's tale is one of grit and gumption, where every setback is a setup for a remarkable comeback. Her conversation with me, Jeremy Wolf, will leave you infused with the entrepreneurial spirit and perhaps craving a visit to Cooper City and Pembroke Pines to experience the magic of JT's firsthand.
As the aroma of sizzling grills and the sound of clinking glasses set the backdrop, Jenniffer and I delve into the essence of what makes JT's more than just a place to dine—it's a hub of good vibes and great times. Learn how she's leveraged community events like Relay for Life to not only bolster her business but also to contribute to the greater good, setting the bar high for local establishments. This episode isn't just an audio experience; it's an invitation to the neighborhood table where every listener becomes part of the JT's family. So, grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let Jennifer Everhart's story captivate you.
A journey of transformation unfolds as we share the microphone with Jenniffer Everhart, the heart and soul behind JT's Sports Bar and Grill. Picture this: a bartender with the charisma of a natural leader, stepping out from behind the bar to reimagine a faltering location into a community cornerstone that's been thriving for nearly 16 years. Jenniffer's tale is one of grit and gumption, where every setback is a setup for a remarkable comeback. Her conversation with me, Jeremy Wolf, will leave you infused with the entrepreneurial spirit and perhaps craving a visit to Cooper City and Pembroke Pines to experience the magic of JT's firsthand.
As the aroma of sizzling grills and the sound of clinking glasses set the backdrop, Jenniffer and I delve into the essence of what makes JT's more than just a place to dine—it's a hub of good vibes and great times. Learn how she's leveraged community events like Relay for Life to not only bolster her business but also to contribute to the greater good, setting the bar high for local establishments. This episode isn't just an audio experience; it's an invitation to the neighborhood table where every listener becomes part of the JT's family. So, grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let Jennifer Everhart's story captivate you.
This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2:
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the Good Neighbor podcast. I'm your host, jeremy Wolf, and our guest today. Let me give a little background here. She was nominated by a past guest of the show and I actually had the pleasure. Probably three, four weeks ago I stopped by to eat at her restaurant, at her bar, and what a wonderful place. I didn't, I had never been there before. They're right on the outskirts of Cooper City, right over in Pembroke Pines. I'm here with Jennifer Everhart from JT's Sports Bar and Grill and I must say, jennifer, your location was very warm, inviting and the food was fantastic. So you guys are up to some good stuff there and I am glad to have you on the show to tell us all about JT's Sports Bar. So, jennifer, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 3:
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:
Now the pleasure is all ours, and thanks to our listeners For tuning in to learn more about our great community and the businesses that serve us. So let's get into this. Why don't you tell us a little bit about JT's Sports Bar, your back story, how you came to be in Pembroke Pines, and then we shall go from there?
Speaker 3:
Well, I worked for another Sports Bar for about 10 years and it came time to where I didn't think I wanted to bartender manage forever. So Kind of came up on this place here, which was a Mexican restaurant that my husband and one of my good friends kept saying open your own restaurant. You know, you kind of do the same thing here. I was very against it, didn't want to do it on my own. I love the company I work for. It was hard to leave there and, honestly, was best decision I ever made. I'm so glad that they both pushed me to it.
Speaker 3:
When I came upon this location, all the vendors said Jen, you don't know what you're doing. This is a really bad location. Nothing's made it here over a year. You should really rethink this. And I said you know what I feel great about this location. It's in a neighborhood and it's going to be what people want and Been here almost 16 years and I've given the neighborhood what they want. I'm very involved with the community, do a lot of donations, fundraisers and it's worked out wonderful. My customers have become family, so that's really wonderful.
Speaker 2:
So so yeah, you were. You were nominated by was it Rebecca Screema? Relay for life Okay, cool. So I had her on the podcast a month or two ago and I know they have the upcoming relay for life at Cooper City High and we've been trying to promote that throughout the community. They're doing some wonderful, wonderful things for cancer research and raising money for cancer awareness, so hopefully everybody could check that out. I think it's March 16th, from like three to ten at Cooper City High School.
Speaker 3:
I believe you are correct on that. I do have it in my calendar, which is in my office, but I don't have access to it right now, and there's one also coming up for Pembroke Pines, which she's also involved in because she volunteers everywhere with cancer.
Speaker 2:
Fantastic, so okay, so going back when you took over the Mexican, when you took over the restaurant, Did you initially I didn't, maybe I didn't hear correctly Were you initially going to continue with a Mexican restaurant and then you decided no? I don't want to do that, or did you always want to do the sports car?
Speaker 3:
Actually, I came into the wrong Plaza. I was supposed to go to a different Plaza and the gentleman was closed. They weren't even open. He didn't speak any English. I don't speak any Spanish, so he told me it was closed and I was like I know it's closed, I'm looking to buy it, even though it's in the wrong place. So the only thing I know is denaro. So I just kept going to know denaro's place, called my realtor, who spoke Spanish, and a week and a half later we closed and I thought the rest is history, as they say.
Speaker 3:
Mexican closed restaurant from him. He himself had been sick with cancer and the place had closed and he had lost a lot of money. I could have taken it over, but I didn't feel that was the right thing to do. Gave him what he the money he lost out on, and the rest is history.
Speaker 2:
So, aside from the previous 10 years that you had I guess you said bartending or waitressing in- the industry Bar tending yes. Had you ever had any experience running a business prior to that, or this was just like a leap of faith. You said, hey, I'm gonna do this.
Speaker 3:
I had the most responsibility at the place. I ran for 10 years, but I've always been in this industry. I started at a Wendy's when I was 15. And then my most experience probably came from. Most I learned is Shownies. I worked there when I was 16 and became a dining room supervisor by the time I was 17. And so it just always been in my blood to do this kind of work.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I know that the restaurant industry has probably, I guess, the highest attrition rate in any industry, right Like the failure rate for new restaurants.
Speaker 3:
Failure is very high. I work very hard, I put everything into it. Even so, you can still truly fail, but failure is not in my nature. No matter, I would do anything to do well, and I just don't think failure is in my nature. And whatever it takes, I'm gonna make sure the job gets done, whether it's for somebody else or for myself.
Speaker 2:
Love it, love it. So what were some of the? I guess you're going back now 16 years, but you mentioned that it was one of the best, the best decision that you had ever made. What were some of the biggest challenges? Going into business, for yourself, becoming an entrepreneur, and then, on the other side of that, some of the biggest rewards that you've experienced over the last 16 years, having made that decision.
Speaker 3:
The hardest thing was our roof, caving in at our location and not knowing if, once we reopened because it ended up taking about a year to have the landlord get fixed not the initial opening, the initial reopening I did not think people would come back and support us. Our customers have been super loyal and very supportive. I would say that was extremely hard. The hardest thing now is getting product in and the cost of everything.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, food costs are crazy, right, everything is just nuts.
Speaker 3:
Everything is insane For small businesses. Anybody who makes it through this coming year. It's harder than COVID the cost of everything, the out of stock. They blame us. I'm fortunate to have a lot of wonderful, loyal, loyal customers who are kind. But not everyone does and not everyone is gonna be able to survive it. I would say the hardest thing is getting product in the costs and in employees. The most rewarding is my customers. They're loyal, they become family, they love us, we love them. We love supporting the community. I only donate to families and small organizations. I don't believe in donating to large organizations because I feel that there's too many kickbacks. Anything I raise goes directly to them. We don't keep anything of it. It goes back to the community or whoever we're doing the fundraiser for.
Speaker 2:
Well, thank you for doing that. That's so important to give back, obviously, and when I came in there, that was the vibe I got. It was friendly, warm, inviting, that place where everybody knows your name. You go in there. And I think that the location you mentioned people said it's not a great location. It is fantastic that it's back in the neighborhood because it's that little neighborhood kind of dive joint where people go in to hang out and have a beer together. And I gotta say, even though you mentioned, food costs are high what I had when I came in there I think I got a mahi sandwich with french fries and a drink. It was really reasonable, Like it wasn't much more, like like it was very reasonably priced and very, very good. So you're doing something right there, Jennifer.
Speaker 3:
Thank you. I try to keep my price as reasonable. I'm not looking to become a millionaire, I'm looking to pay my bills and make a little money and enjoy life. I love that you said I'm a dive bar. I do like that. I love being a hole in the wall. I don't like to be compared to a fancy restaurant. We have had some bad reviews about things like that. We're not a fancy restaurant, we're a hole in the wall. We're cheers, and that's what I like to be referred to as.
Speaker 2:
And that's part of the appeal right. Yeah, absolutely. After a hard day's work, you want to go somewhere where you can feel comfortable. You don't want to go to necessarily. You don't want to go to a big corporate place and not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes you like it, cheers Right. Sometimes you just want to go Everybody.
Speaker 3:
Totally agree Very cool, very cool.
Speaker 2:
So what do you like to do for fun when you're not working? Tell us a little bit about your family.
Speaker 3:
I love spending time with my family. I love being outdoors, the beach, riding bike, anything my husband and I. He has a motorcycle, we love going out on the motorcycle and I love spending time with the kids. I have three boys and grandson and I absolutely love spending the time with them.
Speaker 2:
Three boys huh.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, 29, 27 and 21.
Speaker 2:
No way, I'm sitting here. We're doing this virtually so we're not face to face, but I'm sitting here. You said you had three boys. I'm thinking they're like still in grade school, maybe middle school, you're doing good.
Speaker 3:
Thank you, you're looking good.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, no, I got a nine year old and an 11 year old, 11 year old girl who just entered middle school. She thinks she's 17, 11 going on 30. Oh boy, got my hands full there, but time really, really flies, and trying to enjoy every minute of it for sure. So do your boys all live down in South Florida, or are they?
Speaker 3:
Yes, they all live down here.
Speaker 2:
That's nice.
Speaker 3:
One works for BSL, one works for me and one works for another restaurant in St Augustine.
Speaker 2:
Very cool.
Speaker 3:
Very cool. Yes, they're all down here, thankfully.
Speaker 2:
Nice, nice. So what would be the one thing that you'd like for our listeners to know about JT's Sports?
Speaker 3:
Bar, Just that. We're committed to the community. We love supporting optimists, seeing families together. We do a trivia night. It's amazing you have grandparents, kids and grandchildren all together.
Speaker 2:
When is trivia night?
Speaker 3:
Monday nights.
Speaker 2:
Monday nights.
Speaker 3:
At 7.30.
Speaker 2:
Monday I'm making a note because I want to take my family there for trivia night.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, it's a lot of fun and just that. Families need to be families again, and I think it starts with small businesses and different things like that. We need to go back to basics and families need to spend time with families. Sometimes you just need to stop and smell the coffee instead of always being on the go. We need and I need that advice myself. I'm watching.
Speaker 2:
Right in an era where everybody's becoming increasingly disconnected from community. Everybody's plugged in to social media and it's becoming increasingly more important to have those deep community roots and family roots, and so I love what you're doing there, jennifer. I really do.
Speaker 3:
Thank you, we do too.
Speaker 2:
So for anyone out there who's listening, who has not had the pleasure of stopping by JT Sports Bar, why don't you share your location, maybe website contact information? Let us know how we can come by and see you guys.
Speaker 3:
We're located on 10466 Pass Street, which is just west of Palm Avenue in front of the Pembroke Lakes Country Club. We're do Instagram and Facebook. We used to have a website. We are working on getting a new website. That company sold, so find us on Facebook. That's the easiest way. That's what I go on the most. I'm not huge into social media. I try my best, but Facebook is where you can find all our information, any events coming up, and we're hidden in the little corner on Tatch Street right in front of the country club Anytime you want to see anything going on, as far as crawfish coils, any events. We have St Patty's Day. We post everything on Facebook and our specials and pictures of it.
Speaker 2:
Wonderful. We will, of course, link in the description to all of your contact information. Jennifer, it was a pleasure having you on the show.
Speaker 3:
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2:
Of course, and thanks as always to our listeners for tuning in, and we will catch everyone next time. Take care, have a wonderful day.
Speaker 1:
Thank you. Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Cooper City. To nominate your favorite local business to be featured on the show, go to GNPCooperCitycom. That's GNPCooperCitycom, or call 954-231-3170.