His name evokes images of a rock star, a Vegas bookmaker, an Elvis impersonator, or maybe even a game show host: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome your beloved host…Jimmy King! The real Jimmy King of Charlotte, NC, leads two lives and manages to encompass all of these personalities, but with none of the flamboyance. Jimmy is all business with quick, straight answers to any question or problem. By day, he is a bookmaker and a host, managing restaurant operations and welcoming patrons to The Penguin. By night he is a rocker, a member of three bands, and come many weekends he is on stage—not exactly impersonating, but hoping to pay tribute to—past rock greats. Uptown magazine sat down with Jimmy King to see what life is like for this Charlotte icon.
King is a co-owner of one of Charlotte’s favorite restaurants--arguably one of the most recognizable Charlotte brands—The Penguin. As a face of the restaurant, lots of people around town recognize King, and he seems to take his popular status in stride.
“People holler out to me, say hello. I am real good at remembering faces, but it is difficult to keep up with names. I live in this [The Penguin’s] neighborhood, love living here, so I generally just try to acknowledge everyone and be friendly.” King tries to avoid wearing his Penguin shirt everywhere he goes, a strategy made more difficult by his hectic schedule.
His day starts around 10:00 a.m., when he arrives at the restaurant to prepare for the lunch crowd. King’s responsibilities vary from day to day, which is something he likes about his job; he can count on always walking into something new. In general he pays bills, manages staff, and just as often can be found waiting and bussing tables when the need arises. On a good day he’s out by five, some days he’s there until seven, and a couple of nights a week he’s off to band practice with one of his groups. He plays bass for Jeff Clayton and the Mongrels and Drat. He plays guitar in “his” band (King was a member of the original surf rock band Big Swinging Hammers before they reorganized as Aqualads, which consists of Jeremy DeHart on bass, Colin Larocque on drums, and Greg Walsh on guitar). Between the three groups, King usually plays a few shows a month, mostly in town and sometimes in the greater Charlotte region.
A full-time day job and three side gigs. Why do you do it, Jimmy King?
“I’ve played guitar since I was a kid, picked one up about twelve, I guess. I don’t know how to do anything else.” King has no idea what got him started playing music, but he figures it must have just been his love of listening—to punk, mostly—growing up. But he’s clear that it’s something that will continue to be a part of his life. I asked him what he has to say to naysayers who insist you have to grow up or give up your rock star dreams.
He doesn’t hesitate. “It’ll never happen. I do it for me, for fun. If it were to get to a point that I wasn’t enjoying it, that’d be one thing, but as long as I am, I’ll never quit.”
Besides, music is what led him to his venerable day job in the first place. He knew a bunch of guys through his music connections. They were all working what King describes as “regular jobs to get by,” but they wanted another place to hang out in the neighborhood.
“At the time, there was really only Thomas Street as far as having a beer, relaxing, getting a burger.” His partner Brian Rowe started speaking seriously about opening a bar, and as they talked about it, their vision of a chill, timeless place began to take form. With synchronistic timing, The Penguin became available. The original Penguin was a soda shop opened in 1954 by World War II veteran Jim Ballentine and his wife Jean. Through hard work, strict ethics and a love for the neighborhood, The Penguin expanded the dining room and added beer and curb service. The place boomed, a hip icon in the “Happy Days” of Charlotte’s 50s and 60s. The neighborhood went through its changes: a decline, a revitalization, and through it all Ballentine continued doing business his way. Eventually, the roof leaked and the jukebox broke, but the food was still good and The Penguin kept right on going. After running the joint for 47 years, the Ballentines decided it was time to retire, and closed the restaurant doors in 1999, just about the time a group of younger guys came along with dreams of opening their own joint.
The new owners (King and Rowe along with Greg Auten) wanted to keep some of the 50s vibe that evoked nostalgia, but also paid tribute to all that Jim Ballentine had stood for over the years. They also wanted to infuse some of the punk rock culture that had so influenced them growing up. It was important to all three of the owners that music history be a part of their establishment.
The rehab of the original Penguin ensued: preserving the original pine paneling, resurfacing the bar, returning the floor to a red and black checkerboard while keeping the essential layout, big portions and low prices. They added their own touches in the form of a complete bar, new menu items and a jukebox that plays every kind of music. One thing that did not change was the atmosphere Jim Ballentine had worked so hard to establish. Anyone who has ever been to The Penguin cannot dispute that if the restaurant does one thing, it attracts a diversity of customers. On any given afternoon there’ll be a mix of bankers having a late lunch, moms with strollers, teens, and thirty-somethings with spiked hair, body piercings, and lots of tattoos, and old-timers, all packed together in the cozily situated tables and booths and barstools. What’s the secret?
King says it’s a combination of welcoming service, good food and a timeless establishment.
“It’s got that ‘50s vibe, but it’s not Happy Days, it’s just laid back and invites everyone. Plus, we serve feel-good food at good prices. The satisfaction, for me, is making people happy. I love walking through the restaurant and seeing kids playing and grandpas remembering, just being around good people.”
Born in Miami, King grew up in Charlotte for the most part. He’s moved around a bit and had a four-year military stint, but has spent the majority of his time right here. Given that he interacts with a cross-section of Charlotte’s populace, I wanted to get his opinion on some Queen City issues. As is characteristic of King, his answers were brief and noncommittal and could all be summed up by “as long as the job is getting done.”
Here are his opinions:
Public Transit: It’d be great to bring it down through this neighborhood [Plaza Midwood/Commonwealth].
Condo Development: There’s a big development [Morningside Village] going up across the street from me. Hopefully they won’t overdo it, but they probably will; people will do what they want. The high-rises Uptown are fine, don’t bother me.
Greenway: I keep seeing plans for the Greenway, and suddenly a new condo project goes up!
Baseball Stadium: Yeah, it’ll bring more stuff Uptown.
Parking: We need more, but what are you going to do, there’s only so much room.
Big Name Concerts: They’re good.
Art Krawls [Plaza Central Art Krawl]: They’re…interesting. It does bring business into the neighborhood, and as long as everyone is enjoying them, I like ‘em.
Why should people live in Charlotte, or should they? Charlotte is the same as everywhere, it’s what you make it. It’s the scene that you develop, the scene you make because you’re the only one who can make you happy. You can’t wait around for someone else to create something for you because no one can make you happy—lord knows I’ve tried to do that for people, but it just can’t work.
So there you have it folks, THE Jimmy King. He thanks all of you for supporting The Penguin and assures that the restaurant will continue to serve its patrons in Penguin style.
For more information on The Penguin, visit www.penguindrivein.com
~ Celina Mincey |
