JT’s Burgers, Fries & Shakes opened Wednesday.
The restaurant — which specializes in burgers with never-frozen meat — is located on Highway 45 North in the building that once housed Krystal. JT’s owners are Todd Burkis and Rob Moore. They also own Christy’s Hamburgers, but Burkis said it would be wrong to view the restaurants as one in the same. He referred to JT’s as something of a little brother to Christy’s.
Comparing the restaurants, JT’s prices are cheaper — a quarter-pound burger with fries and 16 oz. drink is $4.99, for example — and it is geared toward the fast-food crowd. It also has items not available at Christy’s.
JT’s is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. The restaurant has 22 employees and is located in front of Belk department store.
While we’re out that way, we want to pass this along: The Wilkins-Wise Road entrance to University Mall parking lot is closed because of extensive construction work required for the DICK’s Sporting Goods and Michaels, which are set to open beside Belk in the fall.
Let’s stay on burgers for a moment. The Golden Triangle has a handful of restaurants with the word “burger” in the name, including several Burger King outlets. There is Back Yard Burger (in Columbus on Highway 45 North). There are homegrown burger places as well. Christy’s Hamburgers has locations in Columbus and Starkville. West Point holds its own in the burger department. The newest place is Twisted Burger Company at 410 East Main Street and the number is 662-494-0013. There is also Staffords Big Burger at 433 Highway 45 North and the number is 662-494-5820.
Maybe you prefer chicken wings over burgers. If so, here’s something: Wingstop is coming to the Golden Triangle.
John Albriton, a developer with AB Dining based in Texas, confirmed Tuesday that plans are underway to bring the chicken wing specialty restaurant to Starkville. He would not offer a time frame or say where Wingstop will be located, but the property is slated to be closed on later this month.
Wingstop began in 1994 in Garland, Texas. According to its mission statement, the goal is to serve “the ultimate buffalo-style chicken wings.” The restaurant has 10 flavors for its wings and claims to have sold two billion. Five other Mississippi cities have Wingstops — Ridgeland, Southaven, Clinton, Gulfport and Jackson.
We told you in November that an Anytime Fitness is opening in Columbus in Lehmberg Crossing Shopping Center on Alabama Street. It’s closer to opening. The fitness center’s sign went up Tuesday, courtesy of Mid-South Signs.
Lastly, the local media landscape is changing a bit. The Packet, a weekly newspaper in Columbus, is moving downtown. The paper’s offices have been at 702 Highway 45 North for three years. Beginning March 1, The Packet will be at 425 College St., said Jeff Clark, the paper’s managing editor.
Starkville is getting a new publication. The Starkville Free Press will be a progressive voice and feature “news, features, opinion, a behind-the-scenes blog,” according to its Twitter page. It will be run by MSU students and owned by the Jackson Free Press, an alternative weekly newspaper. The Starkville Free Press will began as an online publication Feb. 17.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.