If you're feeling nostalgic and want to purchase some wares of a few of Springfield's favorite pastime bars, Primetime Bar and J.O.B. Public House, head downtown this weekend.
Four downtown Springfield restaurateurs are holding a massive four-day garage sale starting Friday, June 7. The sale includes furniture, pictures and wares from J.O.B. and Primetime, as well as goods from The Mudlounge, Tinga Tacos, Finnegan's Wake and Civil Kitchen.
The sale will be held at the former location of Primetime, which is connected to J.O.B., located at 319 E. Walnut St. and will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 7-10, according to a Facebook event created for the sale. There are thousands of items for sale and the proceeds will go right back into the business to help fund a patio renovation, said Anne Baker, J.O.B. co-owner.
The sale will help clear out the Primetime-side of the building and hopefully help inspire the next steps for the bar, Baker said.
“There are a lot of different ideas that have been generated on this side (of the business), but we need some inspiration by clearing it out a little bit,” Baker said at the sale June 7.
J.O.B. Public House, Primetime Bar history and new life
At the end of 2023, a group of downtown restaurateurs purchased J.O.B. and Primetime, as well as the building that housed the businesses, planning to reopen J.O.B. in the spirit that it was. Chris and Nicole Brown, owners of The MudLounge, along with Clayton and Anne Baker, owners of Finnegan’s Wake, Civil Kitchen and Tinga Tacos, closed on the purchase Dec. 29, 2023. The owners officially re-opened J.O.B. in early April.
In late-2022, J.O.B. closed following the sudden and unexpected death of its founder, Danny Schlink, according to previous Hauxeda reporting. Schlink was a magnate of the downtown restaurant and bar scene in the 2010s, launching Grad School, Primetime and J.O.B.
The garage sale includes pictures that were hung around the businesses and in Schlink's own personal collection. The wares are as random and fun as Schlink was, including a chicken costume head, vintage desk lamps and furniture and hundreds of unique art and pictures. Of course, as Primetime was once the staple ping pong bar in Springfield, there's plenty of old paddles and balls for sale.
But for the J.O.B. and Primetime enthusiasts: Don't worry, some sacred wares that the owners associated with the identity of the bar were never even contemplated being sold, Baker said. Those items include “Tracy,” the life-sized stuffed buffalo and pictures that have been on the wall since the bar's inception. Schlink's family and friends also got first dibs on items after the business' purchase.
“Tracy, the buffalo, is not for sale,” Baker said. “Anything that has held a lot of value for us. There's certain items here that aren't for sale.”
Garage sale proceeds will be used to renovate the J.O.B. patio
With a basement stuffed full of further items, the garage sale will be able to replenish stock throughout the four-day sale, Baker said.
“There's a huge basement downstairs as well, so as people purchase out, between the four days, we can keep refilling so there's something different everyday.”
The proceeds from the garage sale are going straight back into J.O.B., Baker said. The group of owners have selected patio renovations as their next project, and money from the sale will be used to make the patio habitable for multiple seasons.
“Anything from this (sale) will help with the patio as much as possible,” Baker said. The goal is to create “a space that can be enjoyed more year-round.”
Customers who purchase goods from the sale will receive a ping pong ball as a little token of Primetime's past, Baker said. The ball can be used for discounts this weekend at J.O.B.
“Anyone who makes a purchase over the next four days, we're going to be giving a little ping pong just because it was a little part of what Primetime was,” Baker said. “And they'll be getting a discount with that whenever they go to J.O.B. for food and drinks.”
