Celtics Star's Maynard Restaurant To Host Private Player's Club
EILEEN KENNEDY
Former Celtic Jo Jo White in his Maynard restaurant where he also hopes to open a private club for professional athletes.
Boston Celtics great John Henry "Jo Jo" White wants to create a chain of private clubs for professional athletes across the country and his new restaurant in Maynard is the first step in his ambitious plan.
"I'm very, very excited about providing a club for athletes where they will have a safe haven to unwind without scrutiny," said White during an interview with MetroWest495 Biz in his recently opened sports bar and restaurant at 86 Powder Mill Rd. in Maynard.
Of course, Maynard isn't exactly a Mecca for professional athletes, right? Well, not exactly, according to White, who says "a lot of professional athletes live in the area." The bold-faced names include fellow Celtic Kevin Garnett, who lives in Concord, and retired Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who has a video game company in Maynard.
White's first step in establishing a private club has been to open a sleek sports bar and restaurant this month called Jo Jo's West. The private club will be added soon.
The restaurant is open for dinner only, and boasts a menu that includes steaks, crab legs, chicken, lobster, pork chops and burgers.
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White hired Chef Jason Carron, who previously led the kitchen at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Boston.
Carron will also be the chef for the upcoming Jo Jo's Boston, a public restaurant and a private club to be opened by November on Canal Street across from the TD Garden.
Membership in the private club will range in cost from $10,000 to $50,000. Eventually, White plans to roll out the private clubs to all NBA franchise cities, such as New York City, Las Vegas and Atlanta. Membership will provide access to all clubs, and the top two membership tiers will include limousine service to and from the club.
White said he isn't aware of any sports-oriented private clubs, although there are private entertainment clubs, in these cities.
"Jo Jo's idea does seem unique in that he is specifically targeting NBA players and NBA franchise cities," said Colleen Colles, sport management program chair at Nichols College in Dudley.
But, she said, there are other alternatives for professional athletes. There are private golf, tennis and yachting clubs across the country, and in Manhattan and Los Angeles there are private entertainment clubs that athletes can access, she said. There are also many high-end restaurants, bars and clubs that have more private, VIP areas, she said.
She said the membership limousine service would likely be welcomed by the front offices of sports franchises because it would help players avoid DUI charges and other traffic issues.
"Corporate America is very, very interested because it would protect their investments in players, and teams would know where their players are," White said.
White is not the only professional athlete to see the value of a MetroWest eatery. Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, affectionately known as "Big Papi," has invested in the Metro 9 Steak House on Route 9 in Framingham. It will soon change its name to Big Papi's and incorporate some menu suggestion from Ortiz that reflect his Dominican Republic culture.
And as work continues on White's Boston location and the Maynard private club, the former Celtic will be overseeing things at his first restaurant.
"I'm usually here," he said. "I mingle with the fans and customers. I'm just as excited to see them as they are to see me."
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