In April, J&S Italian Villa, located at 4332 Central Ave. in Hot Springs, announced that it was closing for a spring cleaning. That cleaning is part of a series of improvements and renovations from new owners, husband and wife Saddiq and Jeannie Mir. The Mirs purchased the restaurant in April. Saddiq Mir previously served as Oaklawn’s vice president of hospitality, overseeing the recent expansion including the hotel spa, as well as food and beverage operations.
J&S Italian Villa has been operating in Hot Springs for over twenty years. In 2020, Hot Springs Sentinel reported that Lee Beasley, owner of JB Chophouse (previously named Bones Chophouse) on Central Avenue, had purchased J&S Italian Villa. Until recently Beasley owned a JB Chophouse in West Little Rock at 27 Rahling Circle. The space is now occupied by YGFBFKitchen, which celebrated its grand opening on Monday. YGFBFKitchen also has a location in Conway.
J&S Italian Villa is hiring at all positions and is targeting a June reopening. You can follow its progress here. More from the press release:
Saddiq Mir brings a storied career in hospitality to Hot Springs. Since 1990, Saddiq has sought to bring his inviting and attentive brand of service to guests at destinations including the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in San Francisco and New Orleans, Omni Hotel in Houston, The Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Gaylord Texan, Gaylord Rockies in Denver and the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Prior to purchasing J&S Italian Villa, Saddiq served as Vice President of Hospitality at
Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort where he was tasked with overseeing the recent expansion including Hotel Spa and Food and Beverage operations.
“We have fallen in love with Hot Springs,” muses Jeannie Mir. “With our backgrounds in hospitality, it’s always been a dream of ours to open up our own business. So when the opportunity to purchase J&S Italian Villa arrived, like our names Jeannie and Saddiq, we said it was a sign and meant to be for us.”
Though the name will remain the same, the business will undergo a series of improvements. Renovations won’t be limited to the interior of the restaurant. The restaurant will continue to focus on Italian cuisine, but new dishes and regional delicacies will be added. Their hope is that guests will come for a fun, trendy, and unforgettable experience in addition to the food, wine, and cocktails.
“We believe in genuine and gracious service. We want to get to know our guests, serve our community, and take care of our locals. I have a motto that shapes the way I work: The answer is yes, now what is your question?”
The Mirs hope to reopen the restaurant this summer, as early as mid-June. They are currently interviewing for all positions. The Mirs are also searching for a talented, up-and-coming chef and sous chef to lead the kitchen, or as Saddiq calls it, “The Heart of the House.”
Updates on the reopening will be available at their website jandsitalian.com and by following @jandsitalian on Facebook and Instagram. Interested applicants can contact Saddiq and Jeannie Mir at info@jandshospitality.com or by
calling (501) 525-1121 or (713) 818- 5711.