Jack's will rebuild Amory restaurant damaged by tornado
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Mar. 29—AMORY — Jack's Family Restaurants announced today that it will reopen the doors of the Amory restaurant as quickly as possible.
Jack's CEO Todd Bartmess, along with Regional Director Betty Hester and Area Supervisor Shelia Loveless, said on Wednesday that Jack's commitment to the community through this difficult time will remain top focus.
The company also plans to support local volunteers through ongoing food donations provided by several of its nearby Mississippi locations still in operation. Additionally, Jack's will donate $5,000 to the United Way of Northeast Mississippi with funds going directly to assist with Monroe County disaster relief efforts.
"Nothing can prepare a town for the type of devastation Amory saw last week, but what we can prepare for is to come back better than ever and to take care of our neighbors in the process," Bartmess said. "Jack's is committed to being a part of the Amory community and to ensuring we stand with citizens as the hard work to move forward continues."
Hester said Jack's has provided volunteers and first responders with "large quantities" of Jack's items from its stores in Tupelo and Vernon, Alabama.
"We plan to continue to support these frontline workers and the United Way of North Mississippi as cleanup continues," said Hester. "We want to do what we can at this time to bring comfort to those working tirelessly to move the city forward."
The Amory-area tornado hit shortly before Jack's 11 p.m. closing, however, all store employees were accounted for without injury. Damage to the front end of the restaurant was heavy while the back end was filled with debris.
"Given how this location was impacted, our initial operations goal is to work toward drive-thru service as we continue working toward a full Amory opening over the course of the next few months," said Loveless. "While we will consistently work to determine how we can provide value to cleanup efforts, it's important for us to get back to serving the community as a whole — definitely now more than ever."
