A Brief History of J.W. Hall's

Like most meaningful creations, J.W. Hall's started out as a dream. Long before it became a reality, Joe Hall knew that he would someday open up his own restaurant. After managing more than 15 restaurants during a period of almost 20 years, Joe Hall decided that it was time.

 
Always a warm welcome . . .

When the family met to discuss the issue, all were supportive--but nervous. The Hall children asked questions like, "If this restaurant bombs, are we going to have to move? Are we going to be able to go to college?" There was no getting around the fact that it was an extremely risky move. Opening a new restaurant meant quitting a safe and dependable job and borrowing a lot of money. This money would need to be paid back whether or not the restaurant succeeded, and the vast majority of new restaurants fail before the end of their first year.

But they all knew that time and time again he had turned unsuccessful restaurants into successful ones. And Louise Hall, his wife, agreed that there are few meaningful rewards in life that require no risk. There are some things in life worth the risk, and they decided that this was one of them.

In 1981, Joe Hall quit his job as District Manager of the Red Bull Inn restaurant chain and bought a small tavern in the Hopewell Shopping Center named The Fireside Lounge. On April 25, 1981, J.W. Hall's Steak and Seafood Inn opened its doors to the public.

It didn't take long before word got around that J.W Hall's was the place to go for a great meal and friendly service. In fact, as business increased, it became clear that the old place just wasn't big enough. So two and one- half years after opening, in September of 1983, the walls between the restaurant and the adjoining space were removed and J.W. Hall's more than doubled in size to its present capacity.

The guiding principle of the restaurant has always been that the customer comes first. Those who know Joe Hall have surely heard him preach about the virtues of "free enterprise" and capitalism. But J.W Hall's has never focused on short-term profits. Rather, the focus is on keeping the customers happy. As Joe Hall has often said, "If you keep the customers happy, they'll come back.',"

How do you keep the customers happy? According to Joe Hall, "If you want a good restaurant, then you need to have good food and good service." At first, such a statement seems circular-- like saying "you will always win baseball games if you score more runs than the other team."

But the statement actually contains a core belief that has been important to the restaurant's success over the years. Joe Hall has never believed in gimmicks or tricks, and the simplicity of this philosophy is one of the greatest strengths of J.W. Hall's. Gimmicks, like fads, will come and go, but the goal of J.W Hall's remains the same: to provide a warm, friendly atmosphere in a restaurant that people can depend upon for "good food and good service."

--By Brian Hall
Unbiased son of Joe and Louise Hall
June, 1992
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