Burger Barn: The Comfort Found in a Jackson Staple
Story by Maddie McMurry
Photos by Trunetta Atwater
Ten years ago, on exactly March 13, 2015, Our Jackson Home published one of its first articles ever, a story about Burger Barn and Wanda Fly, the owner at the time. As we approached the celebration of a decade of Our Jackson Home telling the stories of people all across Jackson, I began looking at how it has evolved over the years. The journal has changed its physical shape, and the online content has shifted. Programming has been added and taken away. It has ebbed and flowed with what the Jackson community has needed yet always remained consistent with the mission: telling real stories.
Now, exactly ten years later, we are retelling the story of Burger Barn, but with new owners, Mary and Isiah. As I was preparing for the interview, I expected to walk in to talk with Mary and Isiah and see a long list of changes and differences, similar to how Our Jackson Home has evolved. Yet, I was greeted with something far different. Change was almost nonexistent. Mary and Isiah had no answer to any question related to how the business is different now. Instead, it was always the words consistency and nostalgia, simply continuing the work of meeting people’s want for a classic burger, slaw dog, or milkshake in between the mundane patterns of life.
For over four decades, Burger Barn has been a beloved fixture in Jackson, Tennessee. Locals can’t remember a time without its freshly made burgers and homey charm.
Burger Barn originally opened in 1979 and had been owned by Wanda Fly, a longtime member of the Jackson community. For years, she sought the right buyer to take over her business. Wanda went to church with Isiah Johnson and his daughter, Mary Curry. Every Sunday at church, Isiah would ask, “Have you sold Burger Barn yet?” The answer was always no — until one day, Wanda turned the question around and asked, “Do you want it?”
For Isiah, a man who had spent years cooking barbecue around town for his friends, owning a restaurant had always been a dream. “In my opinion, it’s just a God thing,” he said. In May 2021, that dream became a reality when he and Mary took over ownership of Burger Barn.
“We had it for a year before I ever posted that we were the new owners,” Mary recalled. “When I did post it, it went crazy. It got like 600 shares and had a huge response, especially from the Black community.”
Isiah and Mary stepped into this role of restaurant owners for the first time ever, with zero prior experience. Although they had worked at the same company before and knew that running the restaurant as a family business would be an amazing fit, there was a huge learning curve. Running a restaurant was a new challenge. Staffing proved to be the biggest hurdle, with high turnover making it difficult to maintain a consistent team. Meanwhile, food costs continued to rise, forcing them to navigate price adjustments while keeping their menu affordable and customers happy.
Mary and Isiah wanted to keep the nostalgia and consistency Burger Barn has held for decades in Jackson. The transition going unnoticed by the public was a positive for them. It meant they didn’t drastically change what the community already knew and loved. They kept the same menu, the same food vendors, and the same commitment to quality — never freezing their meat and hand-pounding patties fresh each morning.
“We’re a staple — Burger Barn is consistent,” Mary said.
“People come where the good food is at. It doesn’t matter who owns it,” Isiah added.
Burger Barn is more than just a place to grab a double cheeseburger or one of its famous slaw dogs (which Isiah now deep-fries) — it’s a community landmark. Generations of families have dined here, from 70-year-olds who have been coming since childhood to students at Lane College who credit Burger Barn with getting them through school.
The restaurant has been the backdrop to countless personal stories. One woman, whose mother was in her final days of life, shared that the only thing her mother would eat was a Burger Barn burger. Fulfilling that dying wish was a powerful reminder to Mary of what this small but profound business meant to people.
Burger Barn is a vital piece of daily life to the neighborhoods around it. Isiah spoke about how there aren’t many options for affordable places to eat in this particular part of Jackson, which is on the border of Downtown Jackson and East Jackson. Even if they were to change things about the building or relocate and expand, Mary and Isiah see the importance of this original location for the people it serves.
There are no sleek aesthetics or trendy branding to Burger Barn. It’s simple, exactly how it’s always been since 1979. Burger Barn remains true to its roots.
“We’re a family-owned business serving families. We’re not a corporation. It’s just homey and comforting,” Mary said.
As much as they cherish the history of Burger Barn, Isiah and Mary are also looking ahead. One of their dreams is to remodel and add a drive-thru to make ordering more convenient while maintaining their made-to-order process.
Through it all, one thing remains unchanged: their dedication to serving the Jackson community with nostalgic food. Every meal served at Burger Barn carries a sense of familiarity, reminding customers of childhood lunches, late-night burger runs with college friends, and shared moments with family and friends. Mary and Isiah want to uphold this legacy, ensuring that every burger is hand-pounded, the fries are crispy, and the creamy milkshakes deliver the same comforting taste people have loved for decades. Their commitment isn’t just about keeping the menu the same — it’s about preserving the feeling of home, where everyone who walks up to the window is met with a warm smile and a meal made with care. For them, Burger Barn isn’t just a business; it’s a piece of Jackson’s heart, a place where tradition and community come together.
“There aren’t a lot of places left like this,” Isiah reflected. “Burger Barn has stood the test of time.”