For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-844-995-5545. While the famous Jays brand should survive, the South Side factory that has churned out potato chips for decades will close permanently Wednesday, a casualty of Jays Foods' latest bankruptcy. It would be supported by the 400 independent grocers we supplied in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Fried Tomato Flavor Potato Chips, Packet. Thank you. Reviews from JAYS POTATO CHIP employees about JAYS POTATO CHIP culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management . Its my dad, Jack C. Williams, in the first picture with the chips on the hand cart. From early on, the blue and white Jays potato chip tinlike the one in our collectionwas a common sight in grocery stores and kitchen cabinets, changing little in design from the 40s into the 50s and 60s. The story of how Japp went from street peddler to factory owner includes none other than Al Capone, who encouraged Japp to open factories and mass-produce his snacks for Capones speakeasies. I would love to show my mom the can of you still have it. I remember as a kid going over to a friend of my dads house and seeing a can of Japps chips , yes it was spelled Japps and then they told me the story of the spelling , so now after 40 years I own this can and its a treasure, happy memories. "The public knows that where this Case is found, the well-known High Grade 'Boye' Needles, Shuttles and Bobbins can be secured." -Boye Needle Co. advertisement, 1909. The carmel corn and skins were made on the West Side plant. Required fields are marked *. It burned my bangs, eyebrows, eyelashes and there was a distinct smell of burning hair in the air, but no real harm was done. My mom and aunt worked there sometime in the forties. It seems when youre poor, you have to fight twice as hard to prove yourself. Did it really go down like that? Since 1927, Jays products have been a Chicago favorite. Tank Plant in Small Ohio City Plays Big Role in Ukraine War. He would often tell stories of the early days of Jays chips and the information above sounds like what uncle Merith would say about the Japp family & getting his chips at the south Chicago factory on 99th St. Interestingly, I have a cousin, Don Riechers that also delivered Jays chips to businesses in the. [Jays employee Jack C. Williams, circa 1960s]. Not Good memories. Managing in . Although my family moved from Chicago to Michigan when I was very young, we made frequent trips back and my Grandma always made sure there was plenty of Jays in her house, in the blue and white metal canister. "We know it's going to stay open, but we don't whether that's permanent or not," said Joe Poulus, a spokesman for Jays. Thank you for the opportunity. Alot of the potatoes were brought to the plant by semi trucks. Upon leaving he spent a moment admiring the collection of old grocery packaging displayed in my office. This is a museum that researches Chicago companies of the past. Eugenia had great compassion for women who cooked for large families, Leonard Japp told the Tribune in 1996. How can we get Mrs. Japps recipes. He had profit sharing plans for his employees and free daily lunches, and the factory itself was a regular stop for local school field trips (the kids all got free lunches, too). But this lighthearted tale of snack foods and legacy has a rather stunningly sad ending. Jays Foods, Inc. Jays Foods, Inc., is a Chicago, Illinois-based full-line snack food company best known for its Jays Potato Chips. It is a factory of snack items, including pretzels, popcorn, and potato chips. You'll also get a couple sample bags to take with you. JAYS POTATO CHIP locations 3.7 Chicago, IL Show all locations JAYS POTATO CHIP Search Sign in to Indeed with Google Continue with Google By continuing to sign in through Google, you agree to Indeed's Terms, Cookie, and Privacy Policies. People always ask about him. Product: Dr Paul's Jalapeno & Coriander Relish. Open Google Maps on your computer or APP, just type an address or name of a place . Jays Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 11, 2007, the second time in four years,[5][6] and permanently closed its Chicago manufacturing plant on December 5, 2007. For over 75 years, Chicagoans have voraciously chomped away on handfuls of Jays Potato Chipssharing in the communal assumption that some guy named Jay must have invented the salty snack for them back in the proverbial day. Thanks. I have a recipe for Potato Chip Cookies that is dated 1971calling for a 25 cent bag of Jays Potato Chips. Question: How may ounces was a 25 cent bag of Jays Potato Chips back in 1971? [Jays sponsored basketball schedule for St. Joseph the Worker Catholic School in Wheeling, IL, 1971], [Like Cracker Jack, Jays sometimes gave away collectibles in its bags], [Jays TV ad from 1987, when it was under the ownership of Borden, Inc.], Jays: Undefeated and Still Champion of Chicagoland Market Chipper, 1974, Potato Chip King: Man of the People Chicago Tribune, August 26, 2000, Jays Founder Japp Wasnt Always in the Chips Chicago Tribune, Nov. 25, 1985, Leonard Japp,Sr. Yes, our country is home to some fantastic Mexican restaurants, from family-friendly outposts to high-end establishments redefining the very genre. Or give a traveler a detailed view of an unfamiliar train station. Especially the Sourdough Nibblers. Please tell me if you have ever heard of the Honey Bee Co. Funny thing is, I love Snyders products. Many tours went through there, a lot of time it was Scout troops and schools. 1950 I , too, could smell that delicious aroma, and see the Southeast side factory on the Lake. [8] Snyder's-Lance will continue to operate Jays Chicago warehouse and distribution center and its Jeffersonville, Indiana manufacturing facility. . I wanted to bid $120,000, but my wife said that if we wanted to keep the company, we should bid $150,000. Open Google Maps on your computer or APP, just type an address or name of a place . Including this latest package, the U.S. has now committed more than $32 billion in security assistance. . California-style corn tortilla chips were added to Snyders snack line. Contactless delivery and your first delivery or pickup order is free! The city knew him as the classic American entrepreneur, one of Chicagos oldest and favorite relics from bygone times. The Senate bill aims to address several key regulatory questions that have arisen from the disaster. Looking for a place to eat? As we talked about renaming the brand from Mrs. Japps ( used prior to the war with Japan) to Jays he indicated other names had been considered. One Christmas she brought us a drum (metal) about 3 feet high filled with Jays potato chip seconds. Living in Alabama now where Walmarts sells O-KE-DOKE cheese popcorn . Whether you like BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion, or Original chips, all-star flavors like these are here to stay. Mr. And Mrs Japp would come into the plant Mrs.Japp was in a wheelchair ,I was 18 years old they would call to office to bring his black Cadillac to front of building,boy was I something great memories. Court Denies Emergency Bid to Stop Nevada Lithium Mine. In October of 1999, Leonard Japp, Jr. died of an aneurysm at the age of 67. Nineteen years after Snyders was purchased, the Warehime family decided to spin off the Snyders of HanoverSnack Operation from Hanover Brands, enabling the companies to focus on their respective industries of snacks and vegetables. And Jays was one of them. Snyders grew distribution south to Norfolk, VA, west to Pittsburgh, PA and north to New York as the company began using aluminum foil bags to extend the shelf life of products in these distant markets it was a first for the industry, and a very practical innovation. Wherever celebrations and good times happen, LAY'S potato chips will be there just as they have been for more than 75 years. Ill never forget putting the dish into the oven, turning on the gas, going for the match, lighting the oven and poof! for the 11 years. Especially when we went back to Illinois to visit relatives. Perhaps their recipe or methods changed? Pumpernickel & Onion Pretzel Sticks were introduced. I think this story is a great lesson. Boy, I learned my lesson! But the result was that George Johnson was out, Special Foods was no more, and Jays Foods was born. Pinterest. Eugenia died in 1983, and three years later, with sales still strong, Leonard Jappnow 81decided the time was right to finally sell the family business. Also, our facilities expanded including the development of the new Goodyear, Arizona plant and the Snyders headquarters completion. The brand name survives under the ownership of Snyders of Hanover, and remains easy to find in any local grocery. Now owned by Snyder Lance, a Pennsylvania-based company, the brand maintains a presence in the midwest. Browse categories; Home; Shop; Brands; Holi; Blog; Special Offers; Need help? Today, it is over 400,000 square feet and includes product processing, packaging, and warehousing as well as a large research and development laboratory. If you want to support the artist or artists that recorded and released this music, please go and purchase their music. Perhaps you visited Chicago and crave the best hotdogs on the planet. It is etched in my mind as an awesome memory. The taste did. Back in the early 60s when i was a child, we had a family friend who lived in the Green Lake/Ripon area in Wisconsin. Bird Flu Costs Pile Up as Outbreak Enters Second Year. And it's not just happening in border states like. [Former Jays Foods factory at 825 E. 99th Street. Subscribe - Today in Manufacturing Podcast, How to Select Ideal IIoT & Networking Solutions, Ohio Lawmakers Ready Rail Safety Bill After Fiery Crash, PolyMet Mine in Minn. Becomes NewRange Copper Nickel, Amazon Unit Zoox Tests Robotaxi on California City's Streets, U.S. Blacklists 6 Chinese Entities Over Balloon Program, Shipper Maersk Reports Most Profitable Year, Warns of Drop. Growing up in Hobart, we always had Jays Potato chips around the house. In 1944, Leonard Japp and George Johnson were still doing fairly well, but surveying the landscape, they decided there wasnt enough room in Special Foods for the two of them. He was also apparently a lifeguard alongside future Tarzan screen star Johnny Weismuller, and a sparring partner of both heavyweight contender Buddy Baer and a young entertainer named Bob Hope. After beating the odds and finding success as a Chicago snack merchant during the Depression, Japp had hit an unexpected snag in the road at the age of 35. I agree that the 1960s Jays were better tasting than the ones that followed in later decades. JAY'S POTATO CHIPS Established Circa 1924 Founded in Chicagoland by Leonard Japp. Jays Potato Chips in Chicago, IL About Search Results Sort: Default 1. Please contact us at contact@madeinchicagomuseum.com. The brand is also referred to as Frito-Lay because both Lay's and Fritos are brands sold by the Frito-Lay company, which has been a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo since 1965.. Frito-Lay primarily uses the brand name "Lay's" in the United States, and . Chicago-based Jays, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Oct. 11, will ask a bankruptcy court Tuesday to approve its sale to pretzel maker Snyder's of Hanover, which was identified in court papers as Jays Acquisition Inc. As it filed for bankruptcy last month, the 80-year-old company said it had hammered out a tentative deal to sell its assets to Hanover, Penn.-based Snyder's for $24.8 million. Great story. We had our money in the Casper State Bank. The following spring, tragically, Leonard Japp III died of a heart attack at just 40, improbably leaving the company foundernow 96as the last living Leonard Japp. Privacy Settings Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: basic site functions ensuring secure, safe transactions secure account login What a wonderful small world. Jays was available. Despite competition from national brands such as Frito-Lay, which has a 67 percent market share,[10] Jays Foods has 23 percent share of the potato chip market in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa and over 60 percent market share in the "ready-to-eat" popcorn category. Meanwhile, their son William V. and his wife Helen were making angel food cakes for local stores. Jays however provided both a subtle comparison to Lays Chips, but more important y is the only letter in the alphabet that when written in cursive creates a close visual appearance to the pp in Japps. Pretzel production continued at the Granger Street facility. I would love to frame the recipe. The factory. The Brands still exist. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. But I have to settle for visiting the Midwest an bringing some back with me, I was born and raised in Dolton Illinois from 1960 to 1972. Not sure if this is true or misinformation. The Future of Agriculture Will Be More Sustainable, Connected Than Ever. Anything that had to do with Jays. All rights reserved. Leonard Japp President of the Chip Association, 1963 Review by Michael Elias. The company has a total of 943 employees. I hopped in the front seat and popped that bag open only to be disappointed!! Wheres the CRUNCH??? Where did you purchase this product? A bankruptcy court is expected to approve the sale to Snyder's Tuesday. We attribute our growth to providing quality snack products at fair prices to our consumers. I, Jack M. Williams, his son, also worked for Jays in Kalamazoo MI and South Holland IL. When we turned over the bids, George had bid $145,000., Eugenia had great compassion for women who cooked for large families,, She listened to their concerns and comments and always looked for new ways to stretch the food dollar., Jays Founder Japp Wasnt Always in the Chips , The story about mr. Japp picking up coal along the railroad tracks to keep the family house warm and the other odd jobs is very representative of his Generations ability and willingness to busted huh to get whatever they need and not just expect things nor want a trophy for breathing like todays generation could you even imagine chip or anybody coming out with a company that even inferred or inadvertently hurt somebodys touchy feelings oh my god there be lawyers coming out of the sky and parachutes great company great product great man. Jays Potato Chips Manufacturing Chicago, Illinois 28 followers Follow . The Jays Foods potato chip factory once stood in the Rosemoor neighborhood on 99th Street, but it extended its reach as far as the expressway with its strong smell of delicious grease. Address: P O Box 6917, 1250 York St., Hanover, PA 17331. The Japp family was more concerned with defending their Midwestern turf, and they held off challengers successfully for decades. The Japp family line had been decimated in the span of just ten months. Its not only NOT a persons name, its not even a fun reference to anything Chicagoie. The website offers an online store. Get Jays Potato Chips, Kettle Cooked, Old Fashioned delivered to you in as fast as 1 hour via Instacart or choose curbside or in-store pickup. And that wonderful smell from the factory in our trips to and from Chicago are a permanent memory. The new Jays needs to go find the old recipe for the OLD Krunchers potato chips!! The vehicle, which doesn't have a steering wheel or pedals, ran a mile-long route. Michael Warehime, Alans youngest son, joined the company. Twinkie comes to mind. Im 70 years old and have lived in Wausaukee, Peshtigo, and Marinette Wisconsin. It's all in Google Maps: browse nearby restaurants, find one you like, check out the dining environment, and even make reservations. In February 2015, Snyders of Hanover introduced Pretzel Poppers in 3 flavors. There was an inevitable Al Capone connection, too, of course. Sure wish I could find a pic of the semis being unloaded. My family came from Italy and the steel mill was where they all went to work. When I first met Mr. Jay he asked if I was married and did we have children. After a solid start, Japp almost lost everything in the stock market crash and Depression, but he fortuitously won it all back on a lucky racehorse. Despite a rocky ride full of ups and downs, Japp saw great success with his Chicago business, which provided the craved snack throughout the Midwest. Mr. Japp knew me by first name. Snyders of Hanover introduces Peanut Butter Filled Pieces and Smores flavored Pretzel Pieces. ?? We would also pass the Wisconsin Steele mill and would always see the big pots of hot steel being poured. With over 25 million updates from over 1,000 sources every day, Google maps have the up-to-date information the users need, right when they need it. Japps Potato Chips. Even though the factory has left the South Side, the name lives on through oral histories of the good vibes and good smells when passing bynot to mention through Snyders online ordering site. And Jays commands a solid 21 percent share in the Chicago metro area, according to Information Resources Inc., a market researcher. In the early 1920s, Grandma Eda and Edward Snyder II began frying potato chips in a kettle at their summer home, and they sold the snacks door-to-door, at fairs and farmers markets. If your organization could provide me the email address of an interested party, I can scan the photos and forward them as a PDF for review. My wife and I got Dinner and Theater tickets to a place that was way west on 95th. On the Border Snyder of Berlin Kitchen Cooked Vitner's Hawaiian Tim's Cascade Snacks Shop All Shop by product Snacks Barrels Potato Chips Pretzels Kettle Chips Popcorn Cheese Snacks Snack Mixes Tortilla Chips Pork Rinds & Cracklings Veggies Potato Skins Dips & Salsa Shop All Seasonal Holiday Variety packs Best sellers Build Your Box Gear & apparel Not wanting to see them destroyed and believing theyd be of historic or nostalgic value to someone, I saved the photos intending to reunite them with an appropriate party. His dream of a company with his own name on it (or I suppose his wife Eugenias name, since he called it Mrs. 2023 2022 South Side Weekly. . The company grew to 850 workers. It smoldered for several days. My mother worked at 40th Princeton when it was Japp potato chips, I worked for Jays in 1965 for 2 years at 99th Cottage Grove ,$1.30 hr paycheck Friday with 2 bags of 25 cent chips. In contrast, privately held Snyder's has succeeded in making its pretzels a national brand. The plant once perfumed the South Side neighborhood with the oily/salty smell of cooking potatoes. I would whip out the bottle of hot sauce I carried in my back pocket and go to work on those chips. Contact a location near you for products or services. It was more of a crackle and there was barely any flavoring!! Bring the real world to your users with customized maps and street view imagery. I dont know if this link is still good or not but you can email at gkfs2000@hotmail.com. Snyders revealed a sweet side, introducing milk chocolate and white chocolate pretzel Dips. Made By: Boye Needle Company, 4339-4343 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL. [1] Jays foods has been considering the possibility of competing as a national brand and has conducted marketing research and held focus groups in New Jersey and California.[1]. I grew up eating Jays chips. All this talk of potato chips got RedEye . Your email address will not be published. Living on the south side of Chicago in the 60s and 70s were some of the best times in my life. Japps Chips for Japps wife, the name was changed to Jays in 1941 due to anti-Japanese sentiment during World War II. Baked chips, which have only 20% of the fat in the regualr chips account for only 7% of chip sales for Frito-Lay. Was there a Jays factory in the area? Find a jays potato chips near you today. Oct 31, 2012 - Long a Chicago favorite. JAY'S ORIGINAL Potato Chips A Chicago Original 5 Pack 1.25oz bags Brand: Jay's 123 ratings $1288 ($2.06 / Ounce) Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping. Your email address will not be published. I grew up eating them and their shoestrings. I worked hard. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Opened in 2013 About Jay's Chicago Maybe you're from Chicago and miss a real Vienna Beef Hotdog. This isnt the case. Potato Chips, Sweet Baby Jays sweet potato chips, and Hot Stuff snacks.