The End of an Era – Jo Ann sells Fino’s

Jo Ann always maintained they chose Fino's because Terry was cheap to write her full maiden name on the sign, Finocchiaro

Making sandwiches at Fino’s probably saved my life.

No matter how ridiculous this statement sounds it is none the less true. I'm not saying I would be dead now but I do mean that I my life would not be as good as it today. There was period during my time in college that…, let’s just says my focus was not where it needed to be. I was letting a lot of people down, mostly myself. I worked at Fino’s all through college and then on and off after for over 6 years. I worked with some great people and worked for an even better one, Jo Ann.

How I was hired

Like most college students I needed a job. Beer and food does not grow on trees. They should by the way. A great friend, Rojo, was working at this fledgling Italian Grocery and Deli in the first floor of the Gilmore Apartments and said that the place was looking for another employee and recommended me for the job. I couldn’t come in for an interview because I was about to head to New Orleans for spring break, which also coincided with Mardi Gras. I will spare the blogosphere and not jeopardize my job by simply stating the end result of that trip, I came home from my first Mardi Gras with a full on Mohawk. It was spectacular and ridiculous.

Rojo had promised Jo Ann that I was a normal, hard working, Rhodes kid, a departure from the pool of applicants that mid-town Memphis sometimes has to offer. Now I guess I should have known that since the interview was at the P&H over beers that I didn’t need to worry a ton but I was new to the Mohawk scene and didn’t what to expect. Jo Ann and Terry were awesome and I was hired. The story of our first meeting was and will continue to be told for years.

Madison and McLean

Working for Jo Ann at Fino’s was great. I may have made less money than I would have waiting tables but the hours were regular and she always scheduled around my class schedule. My parents lived overseas the last part of college and Jo Ann was a second Mom. She nagged, supported, yelled, and really cared about who I was and what I needed to be. I may have been a lot of different things in college but I worked hard at Fino’s. I grew up around my Gma Steph’s catering business in Erie so I grew up around the food business. I later grew out because of the food but that’s another story. More than the job itself, Jo Ann played a pivotal role in my life during those times.

I spent a little time behind this counter

Fino’s closed at 6:30 each night, or like we liked to refer to as beer thirty. They let us have a beer while cleaning the place up to close it down. You see why I liked this place. On Saturdays we would often meet up for a few more beers with Terry and Jo Ann. One of these nights when a career in education was for off the radar, Terry in fact called my career. In fact he called the career for both Rojo and me.

Terry and Jo Ann are two of the reasons that I love Memphis. Terry played in a band called the Mar Kays as a drummer in the early 60’s. The band roster included the likes of Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Andrew Love, and Wayne Jackson, staples of the Stax Record label. Fans of the Blues Brothers will recognize some of those names as well. Terry spun many of yarn of music, race relations, and Memphis history. It was an education to be sure.

Jo Ann and I on her last day at Fino's

Well after nearly 20 years Jo Ann sold Fino’s. I’m sure the food will be the same but the atmosphere will not. Jo Ann knew everyone and everyone knew Jo Ann. She mingled with politicians, musicians, movie stars, directors, lawyers, college kids, professional athletes, and deli regulars with equal aplomb.

I can say without reservation without Fino’s and Jo Ann I would not be where I am today as an educator or a person.