JTown’s Grill/The Social

Jeffrey Higgins majored in agriculture studies at Arkansas State University and the plan after college was for him to return to work on his family farm in Marianna. One thing that stuck in his mind was that there wasn’t a bar and grill close to the A-State campus.

When his father decided to retire from the farm and bought some land near the A-State campus, Higgins saw an opportunity. He asked if he could buy the land at the front of the property to build a bar and grill even though he had no experience in the restaurant business.

In 2014, he opened JTown’s Grill. At first, he thought he could still work on the farm and live in Marianna but learned that he had to be in Jonesboro to support the business. An avid A-State sports fan, the Grill mainly caters to alumni and students.

In 2021, he opened The Social, a restaurant and live entertainment venue that has a bowling alley.