Jaco's, 638 Bluff Road: 13 May 2017 7 comments
Got 1.5 million dollars for a restaurant? If so, Columbia icon Jaco's on Bluff Road could be yours.
I believe the place used to be a Texaco filling station at some point in its life, and I recall reading a story on the place years ago, in The State, I think, about how the place used to blow off Texaco coporate during its national "always a clean restroom at Texaco" campaign. I'm sure the story was apocryphal, and was presented as such, with the point being a certain devil-may-care spirit about the place.
Unfortunately I can't say from experience as this is yet another of the many Columbia places that go on the blocks before I get around to visiting. I suppose part of it is that I rarely get down that way except for The State Fair, and traffic makes it somewhere you wouldn't even think of stopping then. On the other hand, it may not be too late. I know they had a Superbowl party, so they may be keeping the business open until they get a buyer.
UPDATE 16 May 2017 -- According to The State, Jaco's has been sold and closed on 13 May 2017. I am updating the post title with that information.
UPDATE 3 February 2023 -- Torn down and rebuilt as J's Corner:
Also adding a map icon. (And I note that the address is now listed as 1015 Rosewood Drive rather than 638 Bluff Road).
7 Responses to 'Jaco's, 638 Bluff Road: 13 May 2017'
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historyman
25 Feb 09 at 5:29 am
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A friend of mine is part of the Jaco's family and she told me she is going to write a couple of paragraphs on the history of the place and post it here soon.
Dennis
25 Feb 09 at 10:46 am
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If this is where I think it is--and I think it *is*--before it was Jaco's, it was "The Spit'n'Argy" Club. At least, that's what my grandmother called it: "That danged ol' Spit'n'Argy Club!"
If this is where I think it is (hard to tell without the trees that used to be there), there was also a somewhat-neighboring drive-in "theater" directly across the street from the fairgrounds, i.e., I think if you stood at the entrance or maybe the exit of the drive-in, and looked across the road, you'd be looking directly at ..."The Rocket... Keith and John! Keith and John! Meet Roger and Pete at the Rocket!"
Jenny
10 Jun 10 at 3:55 pm
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Jaco used to be my landlord. We were just kids and we had to go to the bar and pay him. He was always very nice, but the clientele had no tolerance for Yankee students.
jim
7 Mar 12 at 1:57 pm
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I drove by this place the other day while riding past the State Fair and couldn't tell if it was still in operation or not. It still has Jaco signs on it but didn't seem to be open or for sale. Urbanspoon doesn't reveal many ratings either. I'd like to drop in just to see the inside but don't want to get shot.
Justin
30 Oct 12 at 9:23 pm
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Yeah, I don't know what happened here. The "available" sign didn't last too long, and they are still listed in the white pages (though not the yellow pages). Perhaps they changed their minds.
ted
31 Oct 12 at 12:38 am
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Well, 8 years after I posted about it, Jaco's has finally been sold and has closed. Last day was apparently 13 May 2017. The State has the story here.
If I'm reading the article right, they had a 100+ year run, which is pretty epic.
ted
16 May 17 at 12:15 pm
i think they are still there. opened in c. 1908 by a jaco patriarch. associated with the mill village. they reluctantly put it up for sale but i dont think they sold it.