Striking Oil in West Tennessee
This piece was originally published in the August-November 2019 issue of our journal, Vol. 5, Issue 2: Together.
On the corner of Carriage House Drive and Wiley Parker Road sits a white building with the words “Madison Place” in big, bold letters over a series of black panel windows. I would assume that if you walked up to most anyone you know that frequents Jackson, Tennessee, and mentioned Madison Place, they’d say, “Oh yeah, that’s the place with the hair salons in it.”
Well, friends, business owner Jensen Vinson wants you to know that Madison Place is not just hair salons.
“Madison Olive Oil is Jackson’s best-kept secret!” she tells me, and she’s right. There are customers who have been driving to Memphis, Nashville, and even Alabama to get products that are now available right here in Jackson, hidden in the maze of Madison Place.
Madison Olive Oil specializes in infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars that are imported and all natural. The balsamic come from Italy, while the olive oils are imported from Greece, Spain, and Portugal based on the way they are harvested in each region. Some of their products are infused with flavors while others are pure and are used on a frequent basis for their health benefits.
But this all begs the question, how does someone end up deciding to sell olive oils? Well, it’s simple. Jensen’s husband owns a fundraising company, and one day while selling peaches with him, she met a woman for Collierville, Tennessee, who owned a store called Bazaar that sells balsamic and olive oils. Jensen fell in love with the shop and decided that Jackson needed one, too. So when Jensen stumbled upon an opening at Madison Place, it was a match made in heaven.
With help from the Collierville store, the Vinsons opened up a second Bazaar location at Madison Place in 2018 and did a trial run from September to December, and after Christmas, Jensen decided she was ready to go out on her own. After speaking to the owners of Madison Place, Phillip and Mary Jackson, Jensen formed a partnership with the enthusiastic couple and created Madison Olive Oil, perfectly incorporating a bit of the local culture in the name.
Since opening in January, Jensen has become extremely passionate about the olive oils after witnessing the ways they have helped her mother’s breast cancer and colon cancer, particularly the Hojiblanca. Jensen and Mary have also developed an interest in tea and now operate another business, Jen Mar Tea Company, out of the same space.
Madison Olive Oil has developed a crowd similar to that of Whole Foods, and they have seen an ever-increasing number of health enthusiasts stopping by the shop. But the most common use of their products is making delicious food. Whether picking up a ingredients for a marinade, loose leaf tea for visiting family, or a house-made salad on the go from the neighboring Syrena’s Café, you’re bound to find something unconventional and delectable, such as Jensen’s personal favorite, the Tuscan herb olive oil. And with many of the products being gluten-free, keto-friendly, or vegan, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Jensen is looking forward to being featured at the Toast of Jackson event this year as well as USJ’s Holiday Mart. She and Mary also want to start doing tastings and food pairings for groups, as well as events like pop-up shops. They love sharing their products with people and are eager to welcome folks to their family table around which gifts are given, received, and shared.
Madison Olive Oil and Jen Mar Tea Company are located in Suite 8 of Madison Place at 565 Carriage House Drive and are open from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Tuesday through Friday and 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on Saturday. To learn more, visit their Facebook page and call them at 731.694.3969.
Austin Thompson is serial entrepreneur, baseball dad, founder of Thompson Industries and Random Pieces of Wood, unintentional Darius Rucker look-alike, and a lover of all things Batman. Although originally from California, he has proudly called Jackson home since 2001.
Originally from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, photographer Katie Howerton moved to Jackson in 2011 to study Graphic Design and Drawing at Union University. She discovered Our Jackson Home in January 2015 and used it as a guinea pig for her senior design project, creating the first issue of Our Jackson Home: The Magazine. After graduating she was given leadership over Our Jackson Home at theCO, where she now runs the blog, designs the magazine, and coordinates events. She lives with her husband Jordan and daughter November in Midtown and loves her community at City Fellowship Baptist Church.
