Jimmies Restaurant

10/10/2026

We are proud to be a part of this movie and for the scene that was shot right here in Jimmies Restaurant and throughout Mercer County! Best of luck at the Heatland Film Festival!
West Virginia Film Office
Visit Mercer County, WV
Community Connections, Inc.
City of Princeton, WV - Municipal Government
Princeton Renaissance Project
Princeton Renaissance Theater
Mercer Street Grassroots District

10/04/2026

Thanks to Recovery Point West Virginia, we are working quickly to get this project done. Each day, we see new progress and we are HOPING to be open this month.

If you would like to join us, please submit your resume in the chat! We have four positions filled and once the remodeling is done and booths arrive, we will be actively training and moving our vision to reality.

10/03/2026

Sitting outside Jimmies this morning, coffee in hand, and thinking about all the mornings that have started right here over the years.

For generations, people have walked through these doors for a hot cup of coffee, a good meal, a familiar face, and a little conversation. As we work to restore Jimmies, we’re not trying to make it something it never was. We’re trying to bring that feeling back.

There’s still plenty of work ahead, but sitting here in the rain with a new coffee cup at an old Princeton landmark feels a little like the past and the future meeting in the same place.

Sometimes restoration starts with something as simple as a cup of coffee and a good memory.

Jimmies Restaurant…. Memories.

Community Connections, Inc.
Mercer Street Grassroots District

10/01/2026

Work continues to prepare for the next chapter.

Thanks to our Community Connections, Inc. and Recovery Point crew!!!

Recovery Point West Virginia

09/24/2026

Looking forward to opening soon! The transformation will continue to evolve and this is a first look at our vision for the future!
Community Connections, Inc.

Jimmie’s Restaurant on Mercer Street is undergoing a makeover under new ownership, with the restaurant expected to reopen in October.

09/20/2026

There are some places that are more than just restaurants. They become part of the story of a community.

For generations, Jimmies Restaurant has been one of those places in downtown Princeton. For 115 years, people have walked through its doors for a meal, a cup of coffee, a conversation with a friend, and, somewhere along the way, a memory.

Now, Community Connections, Inc. is proud to help write the next chapter of that story.

Our mission for Jimmies is pretty simple:

Good Food. Good Memories. This is the same slogan as been told for over a century.

But we also believe this historic restaurant can serve an even greater purpose.

Jimmies will provide employment opportunities for individuals with special needs, as well as people in recovery who are working hard to rebuild their lives. We want this to be a place where people are given an opportunity to work, learn, belong and take that next step forward. It will be a place where we can change the lives of our employees and to reduce the stigma long associated with change.

Leading the restaurant will be longtime Princeton resident Norm Vaughan, who brings decades of experience and a deep connection to our community. We have already identified our cooks and several members of our wait staff, and the pieces are beginning to come together.

There is still work to do. Remodeling continues, materials and supplies are arriving, and we’re working through all those little details that come with bringing an old restaurant back to life. But every day gets us a little closer.

When Jimmies reopens, we want walking through the door to feel a little like stepping back in time. Our uniforms will be simple, and the diner will carry touches of the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s throughout its design and atmosphere.

We’ve also been collecting artifacts from around Mercer County, many of them connected to Princeton and the surrounding area during those decades. They’ll help tell the story of the community that has supported Jimmies for generations.

And, of course, we couldn’t tell Princeton’s story without remembering the days of cruising; when cars, music, friends and downtown streets created memories that people still talk about today. Like last night, when the sky was painted like a postcard, that culture, along with the people and places that make our community special, will have a place inside Jimmies.

This isn’t about creating something entirely new.

It’s about preserving something that has always belonged to Princeton, while giving it a new purpose for the future.

We’re not quite ready to open the doors yet… but we’re getting closer.

More details are coming soon. For now, we just wanted to give you a little taste of what’s ahead.

Jimmies Restaurant
Good Food. Good Memories.
And a new chapter in a story that’s been more than a century in the making.

StigmaFree WV
Help & Hope WV
Mercer Street Grassroots District
Princeton Renaissance Project

09/11/2026

It’s an exciting time for Downtown Princeton! The Mercer Street Grassroots District is alive with energy and we are hard at work looking to reflect on the past and embrace the future!

We will be hiring in the weeks, so please let us know if you are interested. On September 20th, we will let you know more about our mission and how we’ll look to give back to our community!

Stay tuned for so many updates in the coming days!

09/01/2026

We are excited to see the announcement of the poster for Disconnected The Movie! One very important scene was filmed right here…. IN Jimmies Restaurant!!!! We are honored to be a part of this film and can’t wait for its release!!!

POSTER REVEAL Disconnected
www.imdb.com/title/tt39319891/

08/31/2026

Changes are coming. If you want to see a little of what we have in mind, head downtown to get a “sneak peek” and let us know what you see!


Mercer Street Grassroots District

08/20/2026

Update!

By now, you have probably seen the paper on windows and wondering, “what’s going on in there?” Well…. We are starting a change that will hopefully bring smiles for miles!

For 104 years, Jimmies was always known for “Good Food”, but as noted by the poster, we are a place for “Good Memories”! Decades of them! Now, as we look to the ahead, we must also remember our past! Just like Mercer Street itself, we know that while it will never be what once was, we WILL be a huge part of embracing the past while accepting the present and future.

In the coming weeks, we will be quietly changing and modifying our restaurant to becoming not only a place for good food, but an experience! You will be able to remember what once was while still enjoying a hearty smash burger or one of our specialty hot dogs. Crinkle fries, tots, shakes, pancakes, or a specialty sandwich will all be items on the menu. Combine that with an incredible staff and cooks in the kitchen, and you have the make of something Princeton and Mercer County will be remembered for! New traditions will be made and we want you to be a part of that!

In the coming weeks, we will be talking more about our mission and conducting interviews for staff at multiple positions. As we grow, so do the opportunities! If you, or anyone else are interested, please send us a private message so that we may be able to reach out to you. Updates will always be provided on Facebook and hope to have a new website coming soon.

Lastly, we know that many of you have expressed interest in when this will be taking place. We simply ask that you are patient. Good things happen in time and our investment will be worth it. It just may not be overnight. Construction and collaborations take time.

Stay tuned for updates twice weekly. Little things will take shape! And when we are ready…. Come hungry!

Mercer Street Grassroots District