Published: October 26, 2009 10:59 am      

Orchard Inn celebrates 75 years

For Jerry Jansen, life as a bar owner hasn’t always been easy, but hard work and late hours have produced lifelong friends.

Jerry took his place behind the bar after his mother, who took over for her husband Lawrence“big Jake” Jansen, after his untimely death in 1951. The Jansen family has owned and operated the bar since it opened for the last 75 years.

Knowing the late hours that kept his mother away from home during much of his childhood, Jansen’s own plans were to be a diesel salesman when he graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1971.

“I didn’t want a tavern when I graduated from college,” Jansen said. “But like it sometimes does, the road turned on me.”

Since taking over The Orchard in 1972, Jansen says he has absolutely no regrets. In fact, the ‘70s and onward produced moments both sentimental and entertaining for years to come.

“The seventies were a wild time,” Jansen said. “It seemed like we were kicking someone out of the bar every night.”

As a bar owner, bouncer and bartender, Jansen had his fair share of unique experiences. According to Jansen, people weren’t the only ones who got a little to rowdy in the bar.

“Cotton (Smith — a long-time Orchard bartender) and I had to kick Carol Rodgers and his mule out of the bar one night,” Jansen said. “Cotton said he was banned for life for bringing that mule in, but he let Carol come back after a couple of nights.”

As Jerry recounts stories about ex-military men wagering a drink for who would jump off the roof and watching Minnesota Fats play pool for workers from World Color, its becomes crystal clear that he runs his bar the way he lives his life. The mantra he and some his waitstaff came up with years ago is posted around the bar during this time of celebration: “come as a customer, leave as a friend.”

It seems the little things that some bars have been slow coming around to, or still not at all, are what Jansen has long felt an obligation to provide. Whether it’s free cab rides for those who have had one too many drinks (he’s sent people as far as Carbondale), or Christmas dinners with all the trimmings, Jansen doesn’t want to be known as some sort of nice guy. It’s just what he feels is the “right thing to do.” One might say it’s in his blood.

“I remember coming up here when I was a little kid to look for nickels and dimes people may have dropped the night before,” Jansen said.

Although the apple orchard that inspired the bar’s name no longer remains just north of the bar and Jansen “is starting to feel a little old as he sees faces come and go,” change is of no concern for this consummate bar man. It’s that same friendly attitude that Jansen feels will endure.

According to Jansen, he has the best bartenders and waitstaff in town.

“I have an extremely low turnover in workers,” Jansen said. “The girls fight for their jobs.”

Considering The Orchard Inn has been in his family since its opening in 1934, it would be fair to say the Jansens have done the same.

“If I could go back, I wouldn’t have changed a thing,” Jansen said. “I have made lifelong friends here.”

Tony Huffman can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 135 or tony.huffman@effinghamdailynews.com