GREENE: Triple J Meats closes its doors in Roodhouse
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Hopefully the Triple J. Meats building, located at the three-way stop in Roodhouse will not sit empty too long. Triple J. Meats closed its doors on Friday, May 13. Owner Brenda Jones said she has had interest in the business and hopes someone will buy it and it will re-open very soon. (Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press)
By Carmen Ensinger
After approximately 18 months in business, Triple J Meats in Roodhouse has closed its doors. A post was made on social media on May 11 that the market would be going out of business on Friday, May 13.
Triple J Meats was opened in November of 2020 by Clint Jones, who had operated the business out of a food truck for several years prior to setting up the brick and mortar location at the three-way stop in Roodhouse. His truck would often be seen at the various farmer’s markets throughout the area and at different events selling his home-raised beef and pork.
With the news of Kroger closing, Jones decided that the North Greene area needed a place to get more than just meat so he opened the store, which not only offered a wide selection of meats, but also fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and other dairy products and hot meals for both lunch and dinner.
Just as business was booming, tragedy struck. Approximately six months ago, on Christmas Eve, Clint Jones, who was only 40, passed away from what his family thinks was COVID-related complications.
“We didn’t even know he had COVID until he had passed,” Jones mother, Brenda Jones said. “We don’t have a specific cause of death, but he had some issues and we think it was a combination of a lot of things and possibility from COVID-related issues.”
Brenda Jones worked side-by-side with her son in the store and when he passed away, the store passed down to her
“Since Clint passed away, I just don’t have the desire to keep it open,” Jones said. “I worked in there and helped him out, but it was his dream, not mine and I’m retired, so I decided to let it go.”
But that is not to say that the store won’t open back up under new ownership.
“We have had some interest from people who would like to purchase it and keep it open,” Jones said. “So, hopefully, it won’t be closed for too long.”
Roodhouse Mayor Tommy Martin said the closing of the store is a big loss for Roodhouse.
“I understand that they can’t keep it going – heck, Clint practically lived there and now Brenda is retired so I understand she doesn’t want to spend every day there, but it is going to be a very big loss for us,” he said. “I just hope that someone comes in and takes it over quickly because we need a place in this town to buy fresh meat and vegetables without having to drive to Jacksonville.”
