MARTIN, Tenn.—Family values. Small-town charm. Award-winning service. What more could you ask for in a business? For three decades JJ’s Quick Shop and U-Haul Dealership has been providing their community with just that. And that quality customer care hasn’t gone unnoticed or unappreciated. In fact, in 2012 JJ’s won the Weakly County Chamber of Commerce 2012 Business of the Year.
The Jones siblings: (from left) Jeff Jones, Jill Dinning, Jacki Pierce, Jimmy Jones and Judy Snider.
It’s taken 30 years, five siblings and a whole lot of hard work to make JJ’s the award-winning business that it is today. The business was started in 1982 by Jimmy Jones the oldest of five Jones siblings. Home from Florida where he was working as an airplane mechanic, Jimmy decided to convert the building on their mother’s property to a convenience store.
“In Florida, Jimmy said there was a convenience store on every corner and thought it would be a great idea to open one here in Martin,” recalled Jill Jones Dinning, the current owner of JJ’s Quick Shop. “My siblings and I have all run the business at one point. I’m the youngest of the five and I’m still here.”
Jimmy’s nickname, JJ, became the name of the business, and since all five siblings had the same J.M.J. initials, it was a perfect fit for their family business.
Becoming a U-Haul Dealer
JJ’s Quick Shop and U-Haul Dealership
In 1996, Bob Spencer, Jill’s former area field manager (AFM), stopped by to talk to her about the benefits of becoming a U-Haul Dealer.
“There was another U-Haul Dealer in town at that time, but Bob thought adding U-Haul would help our primary business,” Jill explained. “He was such a nice person and sold me on the idea. Later, we started selling U-Haul products, expanded our lot and added more equipment.”
As the only U-Haul location in town, JJ’s provides a vital service to the community. With a population of approximately 10,000 people, the majority of the town is occupied by the student population of University of Tennessee at Martin. These students, in addition to the rest of the locals, keep Jill and her team busy throughout the year.
After 30 years of Jones leadership, one can only hope that the younger generation will pick up the reins of the family store and keep the quality service going for the Martin community.
“Most of the younger generation hasn’t shown any interest yet,” Jill volunteered. “It’s hard to say who will step up to run the business next. But I don’t have any plans of leaving anytime soon.”
U-Haul Dealers are the backbone of our company. Each one has a unique story and we love to sing their praises. What makes your U-Haul Dealer unique?
